RESTRICTED
045712 MDLOAN 3953
(G)
2.
SHE STRESSED THAT BRITAIN SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN RESOLVING
PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE REFUGEES. WOULD WE TAKE THE INITIATIVE ON POINT (E) ABOVE? WOULD WE ACCEPT UNHCR NOMINATED INDIVIDUALS UNDER POINT (C) ABOVE?
FOOTMAN SAID THAT MS HANBURY'S REPORT WAS WELCOME AS A
CONSTRUCTIVE ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE DIFFICULT PROBLEMS RAISED BY REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT MANY OF THE POINTS IN THE REPORT (INCLUDING POINTS A-F ABOVE) WERE BEST PURSUED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE IN HONG KONG, AND SUGGESTED THAT MS HANBURY SHOULD CONTACT FRENCH ON HER RETURN TO HONG KONG. HE POINTED TO OUR GOOD RECORD ON TAKING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, AND SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT (NOT) BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER TAKING UNHCR NOMINATED INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE PRESENT COMMITMENT OF 468. HE UNDERTOOK TO PASS A COPY OF THE REPORT TO THE HOME OFFICE, WHO MIGHT CONSIDER WHETHER ANY IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE ON KEEPING REFUGEES IN THE PICTURE ON THEIR RESETTLEMENT UNDER OUR CURRENT COMMITMENT (PARA 2(E)). 3.
COMMENT: THE MEETING WAS HELD IN A CONSTRUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE. MS HANBURY WAS NOT FULLY AWARE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG, IN PARTICULAR OF YOUR CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS REGARDING EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND WORK PROGRAMMES FOR REFUGEES IN THE CLOSED CENTRES.
HOWE
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
121
MAIN
118
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK
ECD (E)
LIMITED
SPD
HKD
FED
SEAD
NEWS
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
WED
SED
PUSD
ECD (I)
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
ADDITIONAL
MRS WYETH ODA
3
MR FLETCHER B1 DIV HO
LUNAR HOUSE
~~~~
PAGE
HKGO LONDON
2
RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.