CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
RECEIVEL
DI
Telephone 01-
132
233 438
HKK 243/11
STRY
- 7 OCT 1986
EICER
PA
RY
Acton taken
Your reference
42
R M Morris Esq
Immigration & Nationality Dept
Home Office
Lunar House
CROYDON
kar Bob,
HONG KONG:
1.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
Our reference
HKK 243/11
Date
1 October 1986
We spoke today regarding briefing for the UK delegation to attend the UNHCR Executive Committee (EXCOM) in Geneva between 6 and 16 October. Our United Nations Department have been in close contact with Roy McDowall on the preparation of briefing for delegation.
2.
On e
raise
UNHCR
year
the
as
When the
important aim of our delegation, this previously, will be
be to seek to mobilise assistance for Hong Kong both in the main EXCOM sessions and in the margins.
problems with Hong Kong's delegation
or the main resettlement countries, they are certain to be pressed on what more HMG propose to do in this regard. We can of course point to the
of our SCORRI approaching fulfilment
commitment to take additional 500 from Hong Kong and some 60 from camps elsewhere: I am sure we shall Se expected to go further than this. would therefore be grateful for your advice on which the delegation might deploy in such circumstances.
but
3.
can
may
able to
a
an
I
defensive line
after
we can
Home Office Ministers will
review naturally wish to carefully following Mr Waddington's recent visit what more the UK and should do in the way of permitting further resettlement here of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong. We understand that we
be therefore not
definite until say anything definite EXCOM has ended: but the more positive the "holding line" deploy, the better will be the prospects over the next few weeks of persuading others to do more for Hong Kong. If possible, should like
of to deploy the following sort
defensive line
further UK resettlement:
course
"Remain very concerned about problem in Hong Kong. As
of part
our SCORRI commitment have of taken 40 per month from Hong Kong over past year, and now in process of accepting additional 60 from
elsewhere in SE Asia.
camps commitment numbers
to from
consider accepting Hong Kong in
Recall SCORRI further limited the light
of
Office Minister
responsible
for
Hong Kong 21-28
September:
responses. Home refugees visited
Ministers
now
circumstances and other countries'
we
on
CONFIDENTIAL