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COHABR
CONFIDENTIAL
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243/12/
40
MAR 1988
LORD GLENARTHUR'S MEETING WITH MR RENTON: 29 MARCH 1988
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
Line to take
1.
Wish to review situation with you in light of
Home Secretary's minute to Foreign Secretary of 15 March on
making up short-fall in present resettlement commitment of 468.
Discussions which you and we have recently had with Governor of
Hong Kong.
Our action since May 1987
2. On resettlement, we have done all we can to secure additional
commitments on basis of our 468. But as we warned, impact of such a
limited commitment is less than it might have been. Perceived by
many as halving of our pace of resettlement. US took 1,000 fewer refugees in 1987 than 1986: made it clear would do more only if we
did.
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3. As agreed, we have pursued durable solution return to Vietnam
under safeguards of non-refugees. As we foresaw, slow progress.
But we have conducted active dialogue on repatriation with
resettlement countries, ASEAN and EC partners. Idea of repatriation
now firmly on international agenda. We shall urge concerted
pressure on Vietnamese: but so far they remain intransigent.
The situation in Hong Kong since May 1987
4. This has progressively deteriorated. Refugee population has increased from mid-1987 low point of 7,600 to 9,700. Arrivals are
up, and continuing to increase. Departures are down: would have
been even lower without our own resettlement commitment and its
impact on others. Position likely to continue to deteriorate in
1988. New arrivals largely from North, do not meet criteria of
refugees.
CONFIDENTIAL