TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 201

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50389

OCMIAN 0389

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OO BANGK

00 KULUM

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

160900Z JUL

GRS 213

RECEN

[:

IND:

HKK 243/11

243/11

23 JUL 1986

Y

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1464

OF 160900Z JULY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR

YOUR TELNO

12

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1.

TUR ARRIVED AFTER PROPOSALS SUMMARISED IN OUR TELNO 1346

HAD ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO MINISTERS. HOWEVER, OUR SUBMISSION

INCLUDED REFERENCE TO A PROBABLE FALL IN US OFFTAKE FROM THIS

AUTUMN AS FORESHADOWED IN YOUR PREVIOUS TELS. MINISTERS HAVE SINCE

AGREED TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE SHALL NOW:

(A)

(B)

2.

APPROACH HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ON THE NEED FOR A

CONTINUED UK OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG, AND

EXAMINE IN DETAIL HOW WE SHOULD PROCEED TO CONSULT WITH

RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND OTHERS ON THE LONGTERM PROBLEM

OF 'ECONOMIC REFUGEES'.

WE SHALL KEEP YOU ABREAST OF PROGRESS. WE DO NOT FEEL IT

FOLLOWS FROM THE ADMITTEDLY BLEAK PROGNOSIS IN TUR THAT AN APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE, AS OPPOSED TO THE ACTION AT (B) ABOVE, IS THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION. IN APPROVING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS MINISTERS AGAIN EMPHASISED THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH

THEY SAW IN A UNILATERAL APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE. BUT IN

PURSUING THE COURSE APPROVED BY MINISTERS, WE SHALL KEEP VERY MUCH IN MIND YOUR CONCERNS FOR HONG KONG'S RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS

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