CONFIDENTIAL
HIUC 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1- JUL 1983
DUSK OFFICER
X
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
(98)
804 1
-
:
00 CANBERRA
GRS 646
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 242030Z JUN 83
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 217 OF 24 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY HANOI HONG KONG
MIPT:
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
PA
243/1
1 OF THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN SE ASIA HONG KONG IS STILL
LOOKING AFTER A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBER OF THE REFUGEES
WHO HAVE LEFT VIETNAM BY BOAT: MORE THAN 12,600 OF A REGIONAL
CASELOAD OF 42,900. ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG IN L982 WERE ONLY 7 PER
CENT FEWER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THOUGH IN THE REGION AS A WHOLE
NUMBERS FELL BY 40 PERCENT.
2 THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES MAKES A
GREAT EFFORT TO RESETTLE THE REFUGEES FROM THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST
ASYLUM ROUGHLY IN PROPORTION TO ARRIVALS, BUT THE CONTINUING
EXODUS FROM CENTRAL AND NORTHERN VIETNAM MEANS NOT ONLY THAT AN
INCREASING PROPORTION REACH HONG KONG BUT THAT THEY ARRIVE IN
LARGE NUMBERS DURING THE SOUTH WEST MONSOON (APRIL-SEPTEMBER)
AND INCREASINGLY COMPRISE THOSE WITH LITTLE CONNEXION WITH THE
MAJOR RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND WITH LITTLE CHANCE OF RESETTLE-
MENT. IN ANY CASE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE ALSO BEEN
TIGHTENING THEIR IMMIGRATION CRITERIA AND CUTTING THEIR QUOTAS.
SINCE JANAURY 1982 MONTHLY RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG HAS
FALLEN FROM 1,800 TO 300 OR LESS.
3 RESETTLEMENT OF THE 16,500 WE HAVE ACCEPTED SO FAR IN THE
UNITED KINGDOM HAS NOT BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL (SOME 80 PERCENT ARE
CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED), AND THE UK HAS IN ANY CASE NOT BEEN A
POPULAR DESTINATION. WE CONTINUE OF COURSE TO ACCEPT FAMILY
REUNION CASES AND TO ISSUE GUARANTEES TO RESETTLE THOSE RESCUED
BY UK SHIPPING. BUT NO FRESH OFFTAKE FROM THE AREA IS LIKELY
TO BE POSSIBLE.
4 WE HAVE NOT THOUGHT IT RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY
(WHICH IS SOMETIMES SUGGESTED) OF FORCIBLY REPATRIATING REFUGEES
1
CONFIDENTIAL