TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 130

GRS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2728

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY DISTR

OF 22095OZ AUGUST 86

INFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA, UKMIS GENEVA

INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, HANO, BANGKOK

(22)

YOUR TELNO 1681 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

RECEN

DESE

INDEX

}

HKK 243

Y

2 & AUG 1986

'SIRY

- Taken

WE RECENTLY RECEIVED A FURTHER CALL FROM THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUL GENERAL TO DISCUSS OUR VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. MS. WENSLEY REFERRED TO THE CUT BACK N SOCIAL SERVICES AND FOREIGN AND EXPENDITURE IN THE RECENT AUSTRALIAN BUDGET BUT ADDED THAT SHE HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE QUOTA OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG FOR FY 1986-87 BEFORE THE BUDGET WAS ANNOUNCED. THE QUOTA FOR FY 1986-87 S 400. SHE REGRETTED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 200 AS HAD ONCE BEEN TENTATIVELY INDICATED.

2. MS. WENSLEY SAID THAT THE AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM GESTURE OF ACCEPTING 500 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IS THAT HT WS RESTRACTIVE IN NATURE. THIS VIEW HAD HAD SOME BEARING ON THE DECISION TO LIMIT THE 1986-87 OFFTAKE TO 400.

3. CANBERRA SHE SAND SHARED THE CONCERN OVER THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REFUGEE NORTHERNERS ARRIVING IN HONG KONG. THEY ARE SCEPTICAL OF THERE BEING AN EARLY SOLUTION TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO SOME SCEPTICHISM ABOUT THE UK'S ATTITUDE. AUSTRALIA AND THE US MS. WENSLEY SAID LOOK TO THE UK TO TAKE A LEAD AND THIS IS A WHEW SHE SAND S SHARED BY OTHER COUNTRIES. SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT AN APPROACH WOULD BE MADE BY THE AUSTRAL MAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE FCO IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

4. MS. WENSLEY REFERRED AGAIN TO THE PROPOSAL TO SCREEN REFUGEES ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG. PLEASE SEE PARA. 4 OF OUR TELNO 2515. THE PURPOSE OF THE SCREENING WOULD BE TO IDENTIFY ECONOMIC REFUGEES WITH

A VIEW TO THEIR REPATRIATION.CONFIDENTIAL

15.

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