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OP make float copy E pa 243/5 (top copy given to SEAD
for incorporation into brief)
CALL ON MR LUCE BY AMBASSADOR EUGENE DOUGLAS, US COORDINATOR FOR
REFUGEE AFFAIRS : 27 FEBRUARY 1985
62
a.
POINTS TO MAKE
US RESETTLEMENT
1. Most grateful for continuing US efforts on behalf of Vietnamese
refugees in Hong Kong. Hope you will be able at least to maintain present level of offtake.
LIKELY EFFECT OF INCREASED RESETTLEMENT BY UK
2.
Would US be likely to increase their offtake from Hong Kong if UK accepted more? SCORRI, whose Chairman I understand you are
seeing, are likely to focus on this point.
LIKELIHOOD OF INCREASED UK RESETTLEMENT (DEFENSIVE)
3. As you may know, SCORRI are currently looking into this. Home
Secretary will no doubt consider the matter further in the light of
their report, (due late April). Must emphasise difficulties of admitting greater number of Vietnamese to UK: high unemployment (80%), difficulties in integrating. But am pleased to say Home Office have agreed in advance of SCORRI report to review certain cases of refugees with close relatives here who fall outside our
current criteria for acceptance.
REPATRIATION (DEFENSIVE)
A possible option, but difficulty of Vietnamese attitude. Would
need Vietnamese assurances regarding treatment of those returning,
and cooperation in accepting them back. US view?
HKK 243 IS
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
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4 MAR 1985
DEK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
on Tukim
SJH
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CALL ON MR LUCE BY AMBASSADOR EUGENE DOUGLAS, US COORDINATOR FOR
REFUGEE AFFAIRS : 27 FEBRUARY 1985
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
ESSENTIAL FACTS
GENERAL
1.
11,700 Vietnamese refugees currently in Hong Kong awaiting
resettlement. Just over half (5924) in closed centres. 1984
arrivals totalled 2230. 3694 were resettled outside Hong Kong, of
which 1541 went to the US. (Canada, Australia and the UK accepted
1008, 736 and 88 respectively).
A
US RESETTLEMENT POLICY
2. US currently accept about 100 refugees from Hong Kong each
month. They are reluctant
reluctant to increase their offtake for the
following reasons:
(i) they regard the majority of refugees now arriving in Hong Kong
as economic migrants. Since mid-1982 about 50% of those selected by the US Consulate in Hong Kong as eligible for admission under the US Refugee Programme have subsequently been rejected by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS) on the grounds that they are not
refugees.
(ii) they regard Hong Kong as a UK responsibility and consider that it is up to HMG to take the lead in accepting more refugees. This
was made clear in the US evidence to the Race Relations and
Immigration Sub-Committee (SCORRI).
3.
Partly as a result of (i) and (ii), US offtake from Hong Kong is
limited to a monthly quota substantially below the quotas allocated
to neighbouring places of first asylum with smaller caseloads, eg
Malaysia. The US Consulate in Hong Kong has justified this to Hong
Kong officials on the basis of American political priorities in
the region.
SCORRI ENQUIRY
4. Report not expected until late April.
Ambassador Douglas wi11
also be meeting Mr John Wheeler MP, Chairman of SCORRI, and Mr
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Jeremy Hanley, a member of the Committee, during his visit to
London.
UK RESETTLEMENT
5.
Mr Waddington has informed the British Refugee Council (BRC) that he is prepared to reconsider, in advance of the SCORRI report, individual cases of refugees in Hong Kong who have relatives in the UK and whom the BRC consider to have exceptional compassionate circumstances, but whose applications have previously been refused by the Home Office.
BALA
REPATRIATION
6. The Hong Kong Government have asked us to authorise HMA Hanoi to raise the subject of involuntary repatriation with the Vietnamese. We shall shortly be submitting to Mr Luce a general policy review paper covering this subject.
TV
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