CJ1AC J
CALL ON MR O'NEILL BY
DIVISION,
UNHCR: 24 JUNE
CONFIDENTIAL
MR VOLFING, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
BACKGROUND
in
camps in Hong Kong
in closed camps from
1. 11,000 Vietnamese refugees are currently
awaiting resettlement. Half are accommodated
which they are not permitted to
to seek
seek outside employment (since July
1982 all newly arriving refugees have been placed in such camps in
order to deter others from setting out from Vietnam for Hong Kon
on g)
RESETTLEMENT
2.
The countries
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find
places for the refugees in Hong Kong,
resettled most refugees from Hong Kong
Canada and Australia.
respectively.
resettlement
which have
in recent years are the US,
In 1984 they accepted 1551, 1008 and 736
The UK has accepted some 19,000 Vietnamese since
1975, including 12,000 from Hong Kong. However because of the Home
Office's present strict criteria for admission, only family reunion
and ship rescue cases are now being accepted. 88 refugees from Hong
Kong came to the UK on this basis in 1984. We have been heavily
for taking SO few refugees from Hong Kong.
regard it
criticised
countries
Other
as shirking our responsibility for the territory. They have hinted strongly that they might raise their
offtake from Hong Kong if the UK gave a lead by accepting more.
A
SCORRI REPORT
3. The Home Affairs Sub-Committee
on Race Relations and Immigration
(SCORRI) published a report in April 1985 entitled "Refugees and
Asylum with Special Reference to the Vietnamese". A copy of the
recommendations relating to Hong Kong is attached. We are currently
considering these in consultation with the Home Office and the Hong
Government' $ reply to Parliament will be in
the form of a Home Office White Paper, with an FCO contribution
matters for which we are responsible. Νο da te has yet been
Home Office are aiming for July, but timing may slip.
Kong Government.
The
on
set:
SCORRI RECOMMENDATION FOR INCREASED UK IN TAKE FROM HONG KONG
20 May
4.
The
Secretary of State wrote to the Home Secretary on
CONFIDENTIAL