[CJ1ADZ]
MKK 243/2
RECEIVE. BEGI AY
30 AUG 1985
DESK OFFICER
EROM:
PA
RECISTRY Action TaDATE:
х
CC:
W G Ehrman
22 August 1985
Sir W Harding
this
v. grateful for
APS/Mr
суббо
INDEX
Mr
Mr. Luce
has
не
He looks
EVENTS IN AUGUST
for maid to
in pojivion
A.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:
SCORRI REPORT
231879
mate
161
my Walker
28/3
round-up.
the SCORRI
reviewing the near future.
Thermaerts
18
Mr Ricketts wrote to PS/Mr Brittan on 5 August proposing a
form of words for the reply to SCORRI recommendation 5(iii)
(which recommends that the UK accept for resettlement from
Hong Kong a small number of Vietnamese refugees from the
hard-to-resettle category over
cases).
and above
the family reunion
The Home Office responded on 14 August with
counter-draft. This differs in three respects from that proposed
in Mr Ricketts' letter:
A 1.
139
1142
B
(a)
the commitment is we aker ("HMG are
in principle
prepared to resettle"
has been altered to "are prepared
to
(b)
(c)
2.
consider accepting");
specific
it is less
on which refugees might be accepted,
making по mention of the hard-to-resettl e cases (although
this is not necessarily a disadvantage: it would be better
if the Home Office took a few easy-to-resettle refugees than
no hard-to-resettle cases);
the commitment, such as it is, is less continuing than we proposed (there is now reference to "a decision", implying a
single action).
While this is disappointing, it i s in no way unexpected.
The Home Office have at least moved from the position which they
maintained for several months that they would not even consider
accepting any refugees other than the family reunion cases.
doubt if we shall be able to get a better formula now.
I