TNAG-1915-FCO40-2719-Hong-Kong-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-in-third-count-1989 — Page 84

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 28093OZ FCO

TELNO 1337

OF 28090OZ APRIL 89

HKB 243/28

dei

7

021377

MDHIAN 2639

PERSONAL FOR PAUL HKD FROM GOVERNOR: YOUR TELNO 911: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: RESETTLEMENT.

"

1 I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS CAREFUL ASSESSMENT OF THE OPTIONS AND OF

THE PROSPECTS FROM THE UK ANGLE. YOU THOUGHTS SEEM TO BE ON THE RIGHT LINES TO ME, BUT I HAVE SOME COMMENTS FROM THE HONG KONG ANGLE WHICH AFFECT THE FIGURES YOU HAVE PUT FORWARD.

2. IN THE FIRST PLACE I THINK WE SHOULD BE PUSHING AT THE ICIR FOR

A PROGRAMME WITH A STATED INTENTION OF RESETTLING ALL REFUGEES FROM

FIRST ASYLUM TERRITORIES WITHIN THREE YEARS. I AM STRUCK BY THE

CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH WE ARE LIKELY TO GET FROM THE US AND CANADA OPEN

BRACKETS I HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE OF THE LATTER OFFER CLOSE BRACKETS.

THE INDICATION OF AUSTRALIAN READINESS TO HELP TIES IN WITH WHAT THE

AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN AND IMMIGRATION MINISTERS TOLD ME DURING THEIR

RECENT VISITS TO HONG KONG. I AGREE THAT THERE WILL BE PRESSURE ON

THE UK TO TAKE SPECIAL MEASURES IN VIEW OF HMG'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS VIEW WILL BE STRONGLY HELD

HERE AND I AM SURE THAT IT WILL WEIGH HEAVILY WITH THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.

3. I AM AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES. BUT, GIVEN THE NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME AT GENEVA, I THINK WE NEED TO GAUGE VERY CAREFULLY WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO GET AN ADEQUATE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE. SEEN FROM HERE, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH SOMETHING MORE THAN A DOUBLING OF THE EXISTING BRITISH UNDERTAKING OF ONE THOUSAND PLACES WILL BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PRIME ALL THE PUMPS. WE NEED TO BEAR IN MIND AS WELL THAT IF WE DO NOT ACHIEVE AN ADEQUATE OUTCOME ON THIS POINT IN GENEVA THERE WILL BE INCREASING PRESSURE, FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA GENERALLY, AND FROM HONG KONG, FOR AN END TO THE POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM. I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PUT TO MINISTERS THE POINT THAT IT WILL BE BETTER TO BE READY WITH A SIGNIFICANT, THOUGH NOT OPEN-ENDED, OFFER OF RESETTLEMENT NOW IN ORDER TO AVOID THE PROBLEM DRAGGING ON WITH ALL ITS ATTENDANT POLITICAL AND PRACTICAL SNARES FOR THE FUTURE.

4. I DO NOT (NOT) THINK THAT ANY VERY DRAMATIC INCREASE WOULD BE

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CONFIDENTIAL