Our reference: IMG/79 58,1026/110 Your reference:
RW Simpson Esq
Shipping Policy Division Department of Trade
1 Victoria Street
London SWIH OET
ì
HOME OFFICE
Lunar House, Wellesley Road, CROYDON CR9 2BY Telephone: 01-686 0333, ext. 2541
аз
rei. Menton 1M. Settl
Musso VB
16 September 1981
1879
сенко)
مهشی
Dear S.
You asked to be consulted before the Hong Kong Immigration Department was authorised to select the Vietnamese refugees to fill the 10,000 quota. There are now some 200 places left on this quota and it appears that there may be reception centre capacity available next month. We are therefore now in a position to complete our commitment to Hong Kong and you will appreciate that we woula ot be justified in keeping places vacant.
Once this is done, we shall lose the option of counting refugees rescued at sea by United Kingdom registered ships and taken to Hong Kong against the quota. Sea rescues putting in to Hong Kong will then be treated on the same case by case basis as others. However the whole question of sea rescues is due to be discussed at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva next month and this policy may have to be reviewed in the light of any recommendations from that quarter. I understand that the boat rescue season for Hong Kong is over for this
year.
Univi
vary overoptimistic
८.
Arl
GL ANGEL
cc K F X Burns Esq
SEAD,
FCO
J C Hindley Esq VSU, QAG
FA 243/2
Ба
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 14
22 SEP 1981
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