TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 124

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DSR 11C

political refugees.

There may well be some foundation for

this argument: but in the absence of any viable and

acceptable means of returning "non-refugees" to Vietnam

it is of no help at all to Hong Kong that resettlement

countries should choose to adopt this stance.

We are

however endeavouring

the main resettlement countries and UNHCR to explore

whether any sort of consensus exists on the Indochinese

"economic migrant" problem; and if it does, what possible

solutions can be identified to meet it. It is plain that

these consultations will not produce any early panacea to

the immediate problems that Hong Kong and other places of

first asylum now face, but it may eventually offer other

avenues, besides resettlement in the west, which we can

explore, perhaps through collective approaches to the

I shall of course keep you

to begin joint consultations with

Vietnamese authorities.

abreast of developments in our multilateral discussions.

But I should emphasise from the outset that, if our own

willingness to continue resettle Vietnamese refugees

could not be demonstrated, this would seriously if not

fatally impair our chances of giving an impetus to

international action directed at an eventual definitive

resolution of the problem of Vietnemse refugees.

9.

Meanwhile we need to consider urgently what more can

be done to help Hong Kong in the short term.

understand that David Waddington hopes to visit Hong Kong

at the end of this month, and that you would prefer not

to consider a new offtake from the territory until after

CONFIDENTIAL