CONFIDENTIAL
4465
CONFIDENTIAL
316
HKK 243/1
FM HONG KONG 061101Z FEB 79
по
Ja/2
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.214 OF 6 FEBRUARY.
FOLLOWING FOR M.E, HEAD, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, 11 DIVISION,
HOME OFFICE (QUEEN ANNE'S GATE) FROM BIRT (VISITING HONG KONG).
SELECTION OF REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT IN THE U.K.
1. THERE ARE 3,728 REFUGEES UNDER UN H C R AUSPICES AWAITING
RESETTLEMENT SEMI-COLON THIS NUMBER WILL SHORTLY BE INCREASED
AS THEY 'HUEY FONG' PEOPLE ARE TRANSFERRED FROM DETENTION TO THE REFUGEE CAMP.
2. THE PROBLEM WE ARE FACED WITH IS NOT THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD FIRST PICK BUT THAT THE REFUGEES THEMSELVES HAVE THEIR SIGHTS SET ON THE UNITED STATES, WITH CANADA AND AUSTRALIA CLOSELY FOLLOWING. TO SOME EXTENT THIS MAY BE BECAUSE UNTIL NOW THE U.K HAS NOT BEEN A POTENTIAL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRY, WHEREAS THE ABOVE THREE HAVE BEEN OPERATING SELECTION PROGRAMMES FOR SOME YEARS. MANY OF
THE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG STAND LITTLE CHANCE OF ACCEPTANCE BY THE U.S AND HAVE WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS BEEN TOLD SO.
3. WE HAVE VISITED THE CAMP AND SPOKEN TO THE REFUGEE REPRESENTATIVES
REALISTICALLY ABOUT RESETTLEMENT IN THE U.K. WE NOW AWAIT
1.
REACTIONS AND INTEND TO BEGIN INTERVIEWING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE TO KNOW HOW MANY WILL EXPRESS INTEREST. IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WILL BE INSUFFICIENT TO ALLOW US TO SELECT AS MANY AS 1,000 AT THIS STAGE.
4. IF THE ALLOCATION OF THE 1,500 PLACES IS TO REMAIN AS ALREADY
SET WE MUST CONSIDER HOW BEST TO PROCEED. IF WE CAN FIND SEVERAL
HUNDRED SUITABLE CANDIDATES IN HONG KONG THESE, TOGETHER WITH THE
500 FROM MALAYSIA AND THAILAND WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN THE
RECEPTION PROGRAMME FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS. IN ORDER TO MEET THE
HOME SECRETARY'S WISH FOR CAREFUL SELECTION BY HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS
LAND TO
VEL