CHARLES MCC. MATHIAS, J., MARYLAND
Reg
United States Senate
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
WASHINGTON, DC 20510
STROM THURMOND, SOUTH CAROLINA, CHAIRMAN
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., DELAWARE
EDWARD M. KENNEDY, MASSACHUSETTS
ROBERT C. BYRD, WEST VIRGINIA
PAUL LAXALT, NEVADA
ORRIN G. HATCH, UTAH
ALAN K. SIMPSON, WYOMING
JOHN P. EAST, NORTH CAROLINA CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, IOWA JEREMIAH DENTON, ALABAMA ARLEN SPECTER, PENNSYLVANIA MITCH MCCONNELL, KENTUCKY
HOWARD M. METZENBAUM, OHIO
DENNIS DECONCINI, ARIZONA
PATRICK J. LEAHY, VERMONT
HOWELL HEFLIN, ALABAMA
PAUL SIMON, ILLINOIS
DENNIS W. SHEDD, CHIEF COUNSEL AND STAFF DIRECTOR DEBORAH K. OWEN, GENERAL COUNSEL DEBORAH G. BERNSTEIN, CHIEF CLERK MARK H. GITENSTEIN, MINORITY CHIEF COUNSEL
Mr. S. J. Gomersall
First Secretary
British Embassy
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SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE POLICY
ALAN K. SIMPSON, WYOMING, CHAIRMAN
CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, IOWA EDWARD M. KENNEDY, MASSACHUSETTS JEREMIAH DENTON, ALABAMA PAUL SIMON, ILLINOIS
RICHARD W. DAY, CHIEF COUNSEL AND STAFF DIRECTOR JERRY M. TINKER, MINORITY COUNSEL
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October 2, 1985
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3100 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008
Dear Mr. Gomersall:
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This is in reply to your letter of September 27, wih do a 1985, regarding third country resettlement of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.
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I was pleased to learn that the British Government will be resettling 500 to 550 Vietnamese refugees, most of whom will come from Hong Kong.
During Chairman Simpson's recent visit to Southeast Asia, he met with representatives of Her Majesty's Government in Hong Kong to discuss the refugee problems in the territory. During that conversation, Senator Simpson observed that of all the Southeast Asian countries of first asylum, Hong Kong is the most uniquely situated to explore and institute a Vietnamese repatriation program. The United Kingdom maintains diplomatic relations with Vietnam, a significant number of the Vietnamese in first asylum in Hong Kong are North Vietnamese, and the absence of third country resettlement opportunities is a strong motivation for the refugees, as well as the British Government, to seek safe voluntary repatriation. Has the British Government the voluntary repatriation of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong? The countries of first asylum, as well as the major resettlement countries, have an interest in seeking "durable solutions" other than third country resettlement to address refugee populations.
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I believe the decision of the British Government to accept a substantial number of Vietnamese refugees for resettle- ment should favorably influence the other resettlement countries. However, relatively few of the refugees in Hong Kong have ties to the U.S. Government, or have family resettled in the United States, which makes it more difficult for this country to accept members of that particular refugee population for re- settlement.
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MKK 246312 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 2 OCT 1985
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