C
via DC
CONFIDENTIAL
Fortin.
Brief Note on Discussions
1: 400/4x95 (Caft)
at SCOR Asia Committee Meeting, 9.6.81
Ref: VR/MISC Сс : S for S
S for I VR/UK
158
AC/HQ's L/M
w/o encl
See 166
In April, through the arrangement of Miss Nancy Rice-Jones (Secretary of Standing Conference on Refugees or SCOR for short), I met the Chairman of her Asia Committee. As a result, Rev Graham Jackson agreed that I should sit on his Committee as HKG representative and an observer.
2. Today, I attended my first Asia Committee meeting.
I took the opportunity to update the Committee on the HK situation :
(a) the trend for a steady influx much higher than
that for the same period in 1980 and thus the worry of a rising VR population in HK;
<J12.6.0
Mr Wilhamgon
fyi
1. Pl see paras overleaf.
Ma Searle
:
12 π
3.
(b)
(c)
(a)
the recent agreement by Home Office for HK Immigrat- ion Department to select VRS from HK to fill the balance of the UK quota;
the new legislation under consideration in HK to discourage VRS from refusing offers of resettlement without reasonable grounds--
(i) its support by UNHCR and agencies
in HK,
(ii) its deterrent effect, already apparent
so far in some VRS changing their minds and now accepting resettlement in UK;
the need for HK to be seen, by potential resettlement territories, to be assisted by its "mother" territory and therefore for UK to have some semblance of a continuing VR programme, not necessarily in a fresh quota but, say--
(i) an increase in family reunion cases, (ii) some form of sponsorship scheme.
I paid special tribute to voluntary agencies in UK as well as in HK for the excellent work done for VRs.
4. The British Red Cross had apparently written in to SCOR recently to urge for "yet another initiative with the Home Office aimed at increasing the (HK) quota"; copy of this letter is attached.
4. Then followed a debate on the HK situation. Unquestionably, there was considerable sympathy amongst members for HK in this predicament. There was also acceptance that UK had a special responsibility for HK.
CONFIDENTIAL
.../ However,