GRS 220
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 4182
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
OF 18O3OOZ DECEMBER 86
HKK 243/1 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
1 8 DEC 1986
OFFIC A
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
FOR: HUM, HKD
FROM: JEAFFRESON, SECURITY BRANCHT
(ke)
1
YOUR TELNO 2868: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
WE MADE IT CLEAR AT OUR MEETING WITH LEGCO MEMBERS ON 21 NOVEMBER THAT NO (NO) DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN BY HMG. WE EMPHASISED THAT HMG HAD NOT (NOT) DECIDED AGAINST A FURTHER OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG.
2. WE EXPLAINED THAT HMG DID NOT (NOT) THINK IT APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME TO APPROACH THE VIETNAMESE. BUT HMG WAS CONSIDERING RAISING THIS MATTER IN A MULTI-LATERAL MANNER.
3. THE LEGCO ADJOURNMENT DEBATE WILL TAKE PLACE ON 7 JANUARY 1987. WE ASKED WHETHER A SUBSTANTIVE MOTION WOULD BE DEBATED AND WERE TOLD THAT LEGCO HAD NOT (NOT) DECIDED.
4. FEELINGS ARE RUNNING HIGH (OUR TELNO 7 REFERS). WE THINK THAT LEGCO MEMBERS WILL BE VERY CRITICAL OF THE FAILURE OF THE HKG TO OBTAIN SATISFACTORY RESPONSE FROM HMG. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES MEMBERS ARE LIKELY TO ADVOCATE SCREENING, WITH ALL THOSE UNABLE TO SATISFY HKG THAT THEY ARE GENUINE REFUGEES, BEING GIVEN THE OPTION EITHER TO RETURN TO VIETNAM OR BEING PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE MEANS TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY FROM HONG KONG. THEY ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED, AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, WITH THE INCONSISTENCY OF OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND THE WAY WE HAVE TO TREAT ILLEGAL ARRIVALS FROM CHINA. CLEARLY, A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE FROM HMG BEFORE THE DEBATE WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL. MEMBERS WILL THEN BE ABLE
TO DIRECT THEIR APPEALS AT THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.
AKERS-JONES
HMLNAN 6222
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
PS/MR. RENTON MR. GILLMORE MR. WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
(7
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