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rese cases, the lack of a specific quota makes it
difficult to persuade other countries to take refugees
from Hong Kong.
Possible courses of action
3.
a.
HMG could react positively to the recent
UNHCR request and introduce a new quota
for Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong.
b.
Alternatively, HMG could make other gestures
such as accepting ship rescue cases from
ships registered in Hong Kong (which is a
UK port of registry), relaxing the criteria
for family reunification cases, and
permitting such schemes as the proposal by
C
the Ockenden Venture and Save the Children's
Fund to take in 40 Vietnamese orphans from
Hong Kong.
Perceived difficulties
4.
a.
There would be strong domestic opposition
to the acceptance of additional Asian
This would be less if option
immigrants.
(b) was adopted.
b.
E
Any concessions would represent a reversal
of the more rigorous policy introduced only
in 1981, and might lead to pressures for
more flexible treatment of refugees from
other areas.
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/c.