GRS 175
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
ра
24315.
TOP COPY
48
FM HONG KONG 16023OZ FEB 85
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 363 OF 16 FEBRUARY
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
27
YOUR TELNO 238 OF 8.2.85.
WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH MR. WADDINGTON'S DECISION. SUCH A GESTURE BY THE U.K. WILL NOT GO UN-NOTICED BY THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES. WE CAN USE IT TO PRESS FOR A FAIRER SHARE OF THE REGIONAL RESETTLEMENT FIGURE. WE ARE TREATED LESS FAVOURABLY THAN OTHERS
IN THE REGION.
2. FAMILY REUNION CASES, WHICH ARE THOSE RAISED BY BRC, ARE AN AREA OF PARTICULAR CONCERN. OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA WHICH ARE LESS STRINGENT THAN UK. THEY POINT OUT THAT THESE REFUGEES HAVE CLOSER RELATIONS
THAN IN THEIR COUNTRY AND THEREFORE:
(A) BY THEIR OWN CRITERIA, THEY SHOULD GO TO UK: AND
IN UK
(B) IF THEY WERE TO ACCEPT THEM, THEY WOULD BE BREAKING THE IR
OWN CRITERIA.
3. THE RESULT IS THAT THE REFUGEES ARE LEFT IN HONG KONG BECAUSE THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES CONSIDER THAT THEY SHOULD BE RE-UNITED IN UK, WHERE THEY HAVE THE CLOSEST FAMILY TIES.
4. UNHCR HAS BEEN ASKED TO UPDATE THE FIGURES QUOTED IN PARA. 4 OF
1984 HKCK 243/, MY TELNO 1909 OF 12.7.84, BUT THOSE WITH VERY CLOSE TIES
197
(GRANDPARENTS, PARENTS AND SPOUSES) MERIT SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION. THESE COULD BE PRESENTED AS FAMILY REUNION CASES, RATHER THAN A
QUOTA.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
SIR-W-HARDING
MR WILSON
COPIES TO HKGO LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL
HUCK 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
20 FEB 1985
DESK OFFIGSH INDEX
PA-
ན :་
MAGISTRY Action Taken
SH
Page 75Page 76