CPLAQK (3)
Vietnamese Refugees
Line to take
RESTRICTED
Ministers assured us that they are very conscious of the burden
which Hong Kong continues to bear. They recalled HMG's commitment, in response to the report of the Sub-Committee on Race Relations and Immigration, to accept a new intake under relaxed family reunion criteria. 40 per month have been taken for settlement over the last
year. They pointed out that HMG's diplomatic campaign to seek to
persuade other countries to help to resettle refugees from Hong Kong.
has been generally success ful in reducing Hong Kong's refugee population: this campaign will continue.
In the light of the recent worrying increase in the rate of new
arrivals in Hong Kong, HMG
are also considering what further
measures might be taken by Britain and by the international
community to try to resolve this extremely intractable problem.
Mr David Waddington, the Home Office Minister responsible for immigration matters, will be visiting Hong Kong later this month to bring himself up to date on a number of Hong Kong matters including
the refugee problem.
Defensive
Will UK take more refugees for settlement?
No decisions yet taken on further resettlement.
RESTRICTED