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ASE NOTE
115262
MDTTAN 1556
SEAD_COPY TO HKD
ED
85
YR M
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FM WASHINGTON
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 20184OZ SEPTEMBER 88
AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, HANOI, BANGKOK
3 Mr (dvin
FROM SALLY O'BRIEN, WASHINGTON
TO TONY GODSON ESQ, SEAD, F CO
COPIED TO ROBIN FOOTMAN ESQ, HKD, FCO, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG, HANOI, BANGKOK
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: US ADMISSIONS FOR FY 1989
SUMMARY
1.
RESETTLE-
ADMINISTRATION BIDS FOR SLIGHTLY LOWER CEILINGS FOR
MENT OF FIRST ASYLUM REFUGEES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA IN 1989 BUT
ASKS FOR A CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN LEVELS FOR RESETTLEMENT
THROUGH THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME. SCREENING NOW APPEARS TO BE FULLY ACCEPTED AS NECESSARY BY THE ADMINISTRATION. EMPHASIS ON LOOKING FOR LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. DETAIL
2.
SHULTZ TESTIFIED BEFORE THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ON 13 SEPTEMBER ON THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED REFUGEE ADMISSIONS FOR FY 1989 (WHICH BEGINS ON 1 OCTOBER 1988) (FULL TEXT FOLLOWS BY BAG).
3. THE PROPOSED REGIONAL CEILING FOR EAST ASIA IS BETWEEN 53,000 AND 39,000 DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF FUNDING MADE
AVAILABLE. THE FIGURES BREAK DOWN AS FOLLOWS:
FIRST ASYLUM
ODP (INCLUDING
AMERASIAN IMMIG)
PROPOSED CEILING ASSUMING
ADEQUATE FUNDING
28,000 25,000
MINIMUM FULLY-
FUNDED LEVEL
22,000 17,000
4. COMMENTING ON THESE FIGURES SHULTZ SAID THAT THESE WERE IN
RESPONSE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN CAMPS (INCLUDING NEW ARRIVALS SINCE JANUARY 1988) AND THAT THE LEVELS
PROPOSED PUT THE US QUOTE IN A POSITION TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL
LONGSTAYERS UNQUOTE. IN A PERIOD WHEN FIRST ASYLUM HAD SIG-
NIFICANTLY ERODED THIS LEVEL WAS NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE THE ASEAN
COUNTRIES TO CONTINUE HUMANE RECEPTION AND TREATMENT OF REFUGEES.
HOWEVER THE FIGURE FOR FIRST ASYLUM REPRESENTS A DECREASE OF 1500 FROM THE 1988 FIGURE OF 29,500.
5. THE PROPOSED LEVEL OF 25,000 FOR THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE
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