ETIAMN
ps/ilchuce
Dr Wilson
Private Secretary
HKK 24315
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
18 JUL 1985
CONFIDENTIAL
LESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGIST RY
| SJH
.11
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1.
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255
FROM:
A C Galsworthy, HKD
DATE:
12 July 1985
CC:
Sir W Harding
Head, SEAD
Mr Lever, UND
Despite regular promises at official level of an imminent reply
to the Secretary of State's minute of 20 May to the Home Secretary,
the Home Secretary has not yet replied. Enquiries from Private
Offices have been evaded. Accordingly Mr Luce saw Mr Waddington informally on 11 July. I understand that although Mr Waddington was
not very clear, t he Home Secretary is reluctant to receive any
further Vietnamese refugees into this country, and wishes to put off
any reply to SCORRI until after the recess.
Mr Waddington's
personal view was that provided that we were willing to wait until
September, t he Home Secretary would be persuaded
to accept the
SCORRI recommendation to tak e the family reunion cases, but no
more.
2.
Office
In two adjournment debates Mr Luce assured the House with Home
agreement that we were giving the most urgent consideration
to the SCORRI proposals. Separately Home Office Ministers had
committed themselves to replying by July. However we understand
that the Home Secretary has now squared the chairman and members of
SCORRI, and that they will not object to a reply being put off until
after the recess (though the British Refugee Council probably will).
The Home Secretary did not consult us as to whether such a delay was
acceptable to FCO Ministers.
3. There is strong pressure in Hong Kong for an early answer to the
SCORRI report, and regular speculation in the Hong Kong press as to
CONFIDENTIAL