TNAG-1790-FCO40-2550-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1988 — Page 190

PTZABK

HUD 243/7

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TALKS WITH DR GASTON SIGUR, 22 APRIL

39

Note for

re file

HONG KONG

JMS

2314

Vietnamese refugees

1. Mr McLaren said that the Vietnamese refugee issue was now a

very serious domestic political problem in Hong Kong. After appearing containable until June last year, there had been a steady

trend upwards in numbers and there were now almost 10,000. Hence

the UK had been discussing possible solutions other than just

resettlement in international fora like the JLG. He said that there

was mounting pressure in Hong Kong to start distinguishing between genuine refugees and economic migrants. He acknowledged that the USA had always been wary of such an approach but said that it was an avenue we were bound to explore unless we were prepared to see the

whole first asylum principle break down.

2. Mr Sigur said that an encouraging letter had been received by the US Court the previous day from Mr Sigghi restating Thailand's adherence to the first asylum principle. He then referred to his

recent visit to Hong Kong and his talks with the Governor. agreed that the problem would be eased with the UK to do a little

more. The US had taken some 63,000 in the last ten years, most of

whom were now useful US citizens.

They had

3. Mr McLaren said that we were and always had been extremely

grateful for all that the US had done. He hoped that the US would

look favourably on Hong Kong which had never turned a refugee away.

He stressed the enormous immigration pressures faced by the UK

dating from its historic responsibilities particularly in the

sub-continent which made it very difficult to win domestic approval

for an increased intake of Vietnamese refugees especially as many of them found it difficult to settle in the UK and find work, in

contrast to other immigrants.

4.

Mr Kelly said that the US welcomed the renaissance of the ODP and the increased Vietnamese co-operation it entailed. However, he said that although interviews had now restarted, Vietnam could still