TNAG-1969-FCO40-2802-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1989 — Page 34

Contactor Squa

rejiy

R Footman Esq Hong Kong Dept

FCO

Dear Footman,

:

CONFIDENTIAL

нной

BRITISH EMBASSY

HE HAGUE

3/0

10 February 1989

Mr Harwin moft de 192

Pl. pupore a draft. You

REFUGEES : HONG KONG AND TAMILS

will new a contubation from

SAD.

N

14/2

54

David Clegg

has agreed be reply

Separately on Mances.

1. Den Hond, Head of the MFA's Refugees Department, approached us yesterday to ask whether there had been any progress on arranging financial assistance towards the organisation of repatriation to and resettlement in Vietnam. He also asked for the latest news on Viraj Mendes after his return to Sri Lanka.

2.

14/2

Den Hond is an old hand in refugee matters and a firm supporter of our stand on Kong Kong refugees. He has been concerned, as you know, about the danger that 'financial assistance' will be construed as 'aid' and lead to a precedent being set for a repatriation country like Vietnam setting conditions linked to aid. It would be very much in our interests to keep him informed of our thinking.

On Viraj Mendes, we have a common interest with the Dutch in that we are both expelling or returning Tamils. A Judge on

3.

7 February rejected an appeal against the refusal of a permit on the grounds that it was safe to return to Colombo (see enclosed news bulletin). Again it would be in our interests to keep Den Hond abreast of developments and thinking.

I should like to be able to get back to Den Hond within the next few days and should therefore be grateful for an early reply.

4.

Yours ever,

Brian Bennett

BM Bennett

cc: L D Clegg Esq, SAD, FCO

Miss S Lampert, WED, FCO P Wrench Esq, Home Office

Chanceries: UKMIS Geneva, Hanoi, Hong Kong

CONFIDENTIAL