CONFIDENTIAL
Rate of resettlement in the UK
8.
In his minute of 15 March the Home Secretary expressed
reluctance to consider stepping up the rate of intake of the present commitment of 468 refugees beyond 20 a month. There is probably no hope of accelerating implementation of the 468 commitment. But this might not preclude an additional resettlement of, say, 10 a month if
a supplementary commitment can be secured. The Home Office will certainly point to increasing arrivals under the Orderly Departure Programme as a reason for resisting any more substantial increase in
resettlement rate.
9.
(a)
Additional commitments in June 1988 the options:
"HMG will consider [favourably] extending their present
resettlement programme when it comes to an end".
(b)
"HMG recognise their continuing commitment to resist Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong and will extend their present resettlement programme [at the same level] when it comes to an
end".
(c) A commitment:
a) to extend the present programme of resettlement on family
reunion criteria, and
b) to resettle an additional group "UK refusal cases" and/or
long stayers/sponsored cases
at an additional 10 per month.
10. (a) above would be badly received in Hong Kong and have no international impact.
(b) would avoid the worst criticisms in Hong Kong but have minimal international impact.
only (c) would offer any real prospect of stimulating matching resettlement offers from other governments. It would go down fairly
well in Hong Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL