RESTRICTED
HKK 243/2
RESERVED IN REGISTRY
20 OCT 1983
REGISTRY
Stich Taken
156
GPS 325
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 190855Z OCT 83
TO ROUTINE LA PAZ
283/2 . Resettlement.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2 OF 19 OCTOBER 1983
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON AND FCO
Mas Wither
POSSIBLE RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN SOUTH AMERICA
IN APRIL 1983 WE ASKED UK POSTS IN SOME SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO ADVISE US ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THOSE COUNTRIES ACCEPTING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HERE FOR RESETTLEMENT. SO FAR PARAGUAY AND URUGUAY HAVE SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN THE IDEA. RECENTLY THE NEWLY APPOINTED REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF ICM IN HONG KONG SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE BOLIVIA AS A POSSIBLE PLACE FOR SETTLE- MENT.
2. FOR BACKGROUND:
HONG KONG CURRENTLY PLAYS HOST TO 13,500 VRS, WITH THE PROSPECT ON THIS YEAR'S PATTERN OF AN ADDITIONAL 3,500 IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. UNLIKE PREVIOUS YEARS, RESETTLEMENT HS ALL BUT DRIED UP. AT THE START OF 1982 1,800 WERE LEAVING HERE A MONTH, WHILE NOW ONLY ABOUT 300 LEAVE PER MONTH. ON CURRENT RATE OF DEPARTURE, THOSE ALREADY HERE WILL TAKE AT LEAST 4 YEARS TO BE RESETTLED. EUROPE, AUSTRALIA AND NORTH AMERICA TRADITIONAL PLACES FOR RESETTLEMENT, ARE SAYING THEY HAVE TAKEN ENOUGH.
J
3. AS A RESULT, HONG KONG HAS BY FAR THE LARGEST VIETNAMESE BOAT POPULATION IN THE REGION (29 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL), AND BY FAR THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF LONG TERM REFUGEES 133 PER CENT HAVE SEEN HERE OVER 2 YEARS). WE HAVE INSTITUTED MEASURES TO DETER FURTHER ARRIVALS HUMANELY BY PLACING THEM IN CLOSED CENTRES WHERE THEY CANNOT TAKE UP OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. BUT THEY CONTINUE TO COME. WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITHES IN THE WORLD AND FACE CONTINUING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA WHICH WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SY REPATRIATION.
See (46) 147
158
RESTRICTED
/4. AGAINST
A