GR 500
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 01123OZ
FM HONG KONG 010845Z FEB 25
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 264 OF 1 FEBRUARY
202
YOUR TELNO 202 OF 31 JANUARY: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI ENQUIRY.
THE ANSWERS TO THE THREE FURTHER QUESTIONS RAISED BY SCORRIE ARE:-
(1) RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG TO OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
THE NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES RESETTLED TO OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN 1984 AND SINCE 1975 ARE:-
ник 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1FE1685
EEC COUNTRIES
1984
1975-1984
FRANCE
55
1540
NETHERLANDS
18
613
BELGIUM
11
175
ITALY
1
114
IRELAND
NIL
110
LUXEMBOURG
NIL
5
INDE
OTHERS
1984
1975-1984
DENMARK
49
1031
SWITZERLAND
9
628
NORWAY
27
535
AUSTRIA
NIL
418
SWEDEN
11
336
SPAIN
NIL
251
FINLAND
54
111
REGIST
tion :
COMPARED WITH USA, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA, EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO RESOLVE OUR REFUGEE PROBLEM. FRANCE AND FINLAND DID BETTER THAN OTHERS IN 1984: THE FORMER TOOK 48 UNACCOMPANIED MINORS AND THE LATTER 54 REFUGEES FROM CLOSED CENTRES. REFUGEES RESETTLED TO DENMARK AND NORWAY IN 1984 WERE
MAINLY SHIP RESCUE CASES.
(2) EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO REFUGEES IN ALL REFUGEE CENTRES BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM HKG AND UNHCR. THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH IS VERY MUCH EMPHASISED SINCE THE THREE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES (USA, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA) ARE ALL ENGLISH SPEAKING. VOCATIONAL TRAINING (E.G. TAILORING AND EMBROIDERY) IS ALSO PROVIDED TO HELP THE REFUGEES TO ACQUIRE A NEW SKILL. WE ARE ALSO BUILDING, WITH FUNDS PROVIDED BY UNHCR, A MULTI-PURPOSE WORKSHOP IN HEI LING CHAU CLOSED CENTRE, WHICH WHEN COMPLETED, WILL PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE REFUGEES IN THE CENTRE. ON SOME OCCASIONS, EUROPEAN
RESTRICTED
I COUNTRIES