PRIASV
A R Rawsthorne Esq Home Office
Lunar House
CROYDON
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
CONFIDENTIAL
London SW1A 2AH
нии гиз
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
· 2 MAY 1986
HKK 243/1
May 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Takem
204
Der Rusthune,
1.
You are aware of the recently published report entitled "Refugees from Vietnam in Hong Kong", which was written after the visit to Hong Kong in February of Lord Chitnis, the Chairman of
Action, and Julia Meiklejohn, its Director.
2.
Refugee
We have prepared a defensive press line on the Report. Richard Kornicki kindly supplied the following passage
in response to the Report's recommendation that HMG should continue to accept 40 refugees monthly after the SCORRI commitment is fulfilled, and should review inter alia 200 "refused" cases:
3.
"In reponse to a recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee the Government has agreed to accept Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong
Kong (and other countries of temporary asylum) who have relatives in the UK, but who would not qualify for admission under the normal family reunion criteria. This programme is now under way. In addition we consider applications under the normal family reunion criteria from those leaving Vietnam under the Order ly Departure arrangements, and we also offer settlement to a number of those rescued at sea as part of the
UN RASRO scheme.
Our present priority must be the reunification of Vietnamese families with members already in this country, and we are unable to enter into commitments to take further refugees from Hong Kong."
at this stage
I am concerned at the wording of the final sentence of this passage. It appears to me to be at odds with the
the Government's Reply to
SCORRI's recommendation 5(iii), which read as follows:
response
in