TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 214

GRS 200

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 07120OZ FCO

TELNO 2159

OF 070845Z JULY 86

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4

TELNO 1346 : WIETNAMESE REFUGEES

WE ARE #IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE SUBMISSION YOU ARE PROPOSING TO MAKE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON OUR BEHALF.

2. NEVITABLY WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION MS NOT (NOT) A POSSIBLE OPTION NOW OR IN THE MEDIUM TERM. WE WOULD PREFER TO SEE AN APPROACH TO THE WIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT AT LEAST WE CAN SAY TO THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES THAT WE HAVE TRIED THIS PARTICULAR SOLUTION. WE SHOULD NOT (NOT) HAVE THOUGHT THAT SUCH AN APPROACH NOW WOULD PREJUDICE THE MULTIM LATERAL APPROACH YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR LATER ON.

3. ON THE DMVHSHON OF ARRHWALS FROM VIETNAM #INTO ECONOMIC MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE THERE CAN BE NO (NO) QUESTION OF OUR CLASSIFYING ARRIVALS HIN THIS WAY UNTIL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED TO REPATRINATE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS. OTHERWISE WE WILL SIMPLY BUILD UP A GROUP WHICH BY DEFINITION WILL NOT BE

RESETTLEABLE.

4. IT MIGHT BE WORTH MENTIONING THAT HKG WOULD INTRODUCE A SCREENING PROCESS IN WHICH UNHCR WOULD HOPEFULLY PARTICIPATE, TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ANY OF THE ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM HAD A PRIMA FACHE CASE FOR REFUGEE STATUS.

5. FM-NALLY, QUOTE THE NEED TO CARRY UNHCR WITH US UNQUOTE NPS PROBABLY BENING OVER OPTIMISTAIC.

ON THE BASH'S OF THEIR ATTITUDE SO FAR, THEIR LINE WILL SIMPLY BE THAT ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM WHO ARE NOT (NOT) REFUGEES ARE NOT (NOT) UNHCR'S BUSINESS.

YOUDE

LIMIT

ITED

HKD SEAD

UND

MR WILSON

НКК

HKK 243/911

- 7 JUL 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

iPM

7786

CONFIDENTIAL