FCOAOR(3)
CONFIDENTIAL
Background
1. HMG agreed last September, in response to a recommendation from
the Home Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Race Relations and Immigration (SCORRI), to accept an additional number of Vietnamese
(estimated at refugees
about 500) from
under Hong Kong
relaxed
family reunion criteria. We have used this initiative to seek to
with some success
give
other
persuade
countries
resettlement help to Hong Kong as well.
to
more
2.
Home
our
SCORRI
Office Ministers have now concluded that
commitment has been fulfilled, and that the special offtake from Hong Kong should end this month. We have discussed with Home Office but it is officials possible means of continuing the programme, clear that Home Office Ministers are unlikely to agree to this until
at least some time after Mr Waddington has
the situation in
However, we Hong Kong during his visit between 21 and 27 September.
Home
until
that the
Secretary of
request
that the
have recommended
Secretary to
seen
to the State write
continues offtake present Ministers are able to review the position in more detail.
3.
Since
recognise that we
overseas
We
resettlement is plainly an
the
ma in
option that cannot be pursued indefinitely for all emigrants from
Vietnam,
are approaching UNHCR
resettlement and countries to seek to explore with them what other solutions can be found for those who are (arguably) less political refugees than
"economic migrants".
such discussions take place, they may
lead eventually
Vietnamese regarding
conditions for repatriating those who are not genuine refugees.
discussions such
if Vietnamese,
to the
to
a
If
joint approach
the with
viable at
future.
But
indeed they prove
in in the short term all, are unlikely to be practicable The Home Office are aware of our current approaches to
any
other countries on these lines.
CONFIDENTIAL