AKK 243/2
RECEIVED A REGISTRY NO. 51 27 AUG 1980
DE
INDE
OFFIC P
CONFIDENTIAL
Aw2718
40411
PP HONG KONG
GRS 177
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 201550Z AUG 80
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 681 OF 20 AUGUST
YOUR TELNO 1037: RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES TO UK.
52x
1.
DUE TO THE DECLINE IN RECENT MONTHLY DEPARTURE RATES, THE
YEAR END TARGET WILL PROBABLY NOT BE MET. HOWEVER, WE SHOULD
STILL AIM FOR COMPLETION OF THE TWO QUOTAS BEFORE THE END OF THE
FINANCIAL YEAR.
2.
THE DECLINE IN THE RATE OF OFF-TAKE IS CAUSED NOT ONLY BY
THE AVAILABILITY OF RECEPTION CENTRE PLACES BUT ALSO BY THE
INCREASING NUMBER OF SHIP RESCUES FOR WHICH HMG HAVE HAD TO GIVE
GUARANTEES OF RESETTLEMENT. THE MOST RECENT OF THESE, THE MV
STAFFORDSHIRE, HAS LANDED 205 REFUGEES IN THAILAND. ALTHOUGH WE
CANNOT PREDICT HOW MANY REFUGEES WILL NOT BE RESETTLED ELSEWHERE,
A UK GUARANTEE WILL HAVE TO BE GIVEN FOR THE BALANCE.
A LETTER FROM THE PS DATED 18 AUGUST TO NO 10 DOWNING
STREET (COPY BY BAG) POINTS OUT THE EFFECT SUCH GUARANTEES
3°
OF RESETTLEMENT ARE HAVING ON OUR COMMITMENT TO RESETTLE REFUGEES
FROM HONG KONG.
WOODFIELD (HOME OFFICE) WILL ELABORATE FURTHER IN HIS
MEETING WITH DAVIES ON 19 SEPTEMBER.
4.
CARRINGTON
BOAT PEOPLE LIMITED
SEAD
LEGAL ADVISERS
HK & GD
(MR RUSHFORD)
UND
PS
FED
ECD
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D MAED
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER
PS/MR RIDLEY
PS/PUS
SIR E YOUDE
SIR A ACLAND
MR DONALD
LORD NG LENNOX
CONFIDENTIAL
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
1
PA
58