TNAG-1544-FCO40-2108-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-Intergovernmental-Consultativ-1987 — Page 67

SOUTHEAST ASIA.

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(C)

(D)

(E)

2.

(4)

(B)

(C)

FURTHER PROBLEM IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND SOME RESETTLEMENT

COUNTRIES NOW REFUSE TO REGARD MANY OF THOSE IN HONG KONG

AS QUOTE TRUE REFUGEES UNQUOTE, AND THUS WILL NOT INCLUDE

THEM IN THEIR RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES. THIS CREATES

SEVERE DIFFICULTIES FOR HONG KONG, WHICH IS FACED WITH

PROSPECT OF A LARGE (AND POSSIBLY INCREASING) GROUP OF

UNRESETTLABLE REFUGEES IN ITS CAMPS.

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND WE WOULD WELCOME OPPORTUNITY TO

CONSIDER JOINTLY AND INFORMALLY WITH MAIN RESETTLEMENT

COUNTRIES AND UNHCR WHAT MIGHT BE DONE TO RESOLVE PRESENT

PROBLEM OF CONTINUING OUTFLOW FROM VIETNAM, IN ORDER TO

RELIEVE PRESSURE ON HONG KONG.

UNDERSTAND INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ALREADY TAKING PLACE

PERIODICALLY IN GENEVA BETWEEN LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES OF

US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN AND UNHCR WHICH ADDRESS SAME

SORTS OF CONCERNS AS WE HAVE. IF YOU AGREE WE FEEL IT

WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD BE INCLUDED EARLY IN THESE

DISCUSSIONS. WE ARE MAKING SAME POINTS IN CAPITALS

CONCERNED.

SUGGESTED DEFENSIVE POINTS AS FOLLOWS:

(WHAT SOLUTION DO HMG HAVE IN MIND?) NO PRECONCEIVED

IDEAS. PLAINLY NECESSARY TO ADDRESS PROBLEM POSED BY

CONTINUING FLOW FROM VIETNAM OF PEOPLE MOTIVATED IN SOME

CASES MORE BY ECONOMIC REASONS THAN BY POLITICAL

PERSECUTION.

(WOULD HMG VIEW INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM AS A

POSSIBLE SOLUTION?) VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS ALWAYS THE

PREFERRED SOLUTION. CLEARLY INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

WOULD RAISE DIFFICULT POLITICAL AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES.

(WOULD HMG BE IN FAVOUR OF DISCUSSIONS WITH VIETNAMESE?) TOO EARLY TO SAY. WOULD WISH TO HEAR VIEWS OF OTHER

(D)

MEMBERS.

A

(INVOLVE OTHERS EG COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN OUR

DISCUSSIONS?) WISH TO HEAR VIEWS OF GROUP MEMBERS FIRST.

FEEL THERE MIGHT HOWEVER BE MERIT IN INVOLVING FIRST

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