TNAG-1543-FCO40-2107-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 2

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: CALL ON RESETTLEMENT SECTION, UNHCR ON 8 OCTOBER 1986

1. Mr Leeks, Hong Kong Department, FCO, Mr Woodhouse, Hong Kong Government Secretariat, and I called on Mr Issaka, the Head of UNHCR's Resettlement Section, on 8 October. Messrs Hansson and Cooper were also present.

2.

Mr Issaka outlined the problem of the Indo-Chinese refugees in the region. UNHCR were concerned at the increase in arrivals in Hong Kong, which he thought might be linked to the problems with the Orderly Departure Programme and also to rumours of successful resettlement. Mr Woodhouse disputed this, saying evidence obtained by Hong Kong through interviewing suggested that a shortage of large boats in Vietnam was one of the main reasons, as refugees were now arriving in smaller boats via the coast of China (thus avoiding the pirates off the Thai coast).

3. Mr Issaka also said that there had never been any screening of Indo-Chinese refugees to see which refugees were genuine and which were not.

4. Mr Cooper took his usual line of the regional arrival rate having dropped by 15% this year and the US concern about the exodus of North Vietnamese, particularly to Hong Kong. The Australians were taking a tougher line, by insisting on refugee status determination. The Americans and the Australians had not yet told UNHCR of their planned action for Hong Kong for 1987. The Australians and other resettlement countries were keen to see more refugees locally integrated: in this respect UNHCR were disappointed that only 45 out of 250 places offered by Hong Kong had so far been filled.

5. Mr Cooper also said that UNHCR had to encourage resettlement from other countries in the region, such as Malaysia, as well as Hong Kong. Malaysia had/numbers of Vietnamese refugees and their arrival rate was still high, particularly as boats were being sent on to Malaysia from Indonesia. Although resettlement countries might continue to look favourably on Hong Kong, they

would also look at the needs of other countries in the region.

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