JH2AEW
CONFIDENTIAL.
SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH DR STEGER:
Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong
Background
1.
Hong Kong has largest number (9,300)
resettlement
first asylum. of any place of resettlement places, 63% have been there over
Recent Initiatives
27 FEBRUARY 1986
3
of Vietnamese awaiting Because of decline in
years.
2.
HMG
resettlement some 500
announced in
September
refugees, mostly
to the decision
from Hong Kong,
accept
who
for
have
immigration criteria.
Depending
on other countries'
HMG would be prepared to consider
relatives in the UK but who would normally fall outside UK's family
reunion
response to Hong Kong's needs, accepting further limited numbers from Hong Kong.
3.
To
countries
urged their
maximise the
(Western Europe,
host government
old
effect of this
Commonwealth,
countries
to
Hong Kong.
We have
raised
the
subject
at
decision,
US and Japan)
take more refugees
bilateral many
posts
in
many
have
from
and
multilateral meetings.
4.
some 250 ethnic Chinese We are following up
to make
issue
again
Hong Kong have just agreed to absorb Vietnamese refugees from camps in Hong Kong. this helpful gesture by instructing posts (including Vienna)
raising
new approaches
to
their
hosts and by
the
multilaterally.
CONFIDENTIAL