RE
JKD 243/8
2 JUI 198。
Talk with Home Secretary
-
For Part, HKD
(580)
The Secretory of State spoke to the Home Secretory on 27 July
on these ties and
gave him a copy of this speaking inte flora
Play Foat People
Vietnamese 'Boat People
in Hong Kong
Minute to you of 18 July suggested officials should
meet urgently (no answer yet).
Governor of Hong Kong called on 20 July. HK resources under
serious strain. Now over 22,000; over 900 last weekend.
Governor confirmed our view that 1000 was right sort of figure to trigger a response from US, Australia etc. But
he suggested over 2 rather than 3 years, ie 40 a month the rate we resettled under previous commitment, when refugee
problem in HK was less acute.
Still unclear whether new screening policy will reduce rate of arrival. (News not yet disseminated through Vietnam;
we are working on this - BBC etc.) But what is clear
is that a very few, if any, post 16 June arrivals are likely to be given refugee status. For settlement purposes, therfore, we are dealing with a finite figure of 16,000.
Hope you can agree that officials should examine, urgently, a proposal on these lines.
Miss Syahr, + PA
N2917
Mr FogEman
/24/1