CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 638
OF 04101OZ MARCH 88
MUD 243/12
157721 MDHOAN 0243
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
YOUR TELNO 909 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RESETTLEMENT
PROGRAMME
1.
HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ARE NOW FINALISING A SUBMISSION TO
THEIR MINISTERS RECOMMENDING THAT THE SHORTFALL IN THE 468 PLACES SHOULD BE MADE UP BY APPLYING THE EXISTING CRITERIA, MOVING FORWARD THE OCTOBER 1986 CUT OFF DATE AS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE
NECESSARY NUMBERS.
2.
DESPITE OUR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THEM TO INCLUDE AT LEAST
SOME QUOTE UK REFUSAL CASES UNQUOTE (DRAWING IN PARTICULAR ON PARA 2 OF YOUR TELNO 850 QUOTING LORD GLENARTHUR'S VIEWS) THE
HOME OFFICE REMAIN ADAMANT THAT THEY DO NOT WISH TO EXTEND THE
EXISTING CRITERISA.
3.
AT OFFICIAL LEVEL, WE COULD ONLY HOPE TO PERSUADE THE HOME OFFICE TO INCLUDE SOME OF THE 130 QUOTE UK REFUSAL CASES UNQUOTE IF
WE COULD POINT TO INDIVIDUALS AMONGST THE 130 WHO ALSO MET THE
CRITERIA OF THE 468. GRATEFUL TO KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
WHETHER THERE ARE ANY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CATEGORY.
4.
WE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING WHAT ADVICE WE SHOULD GIVE TO
MINISTERS ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND TO THE LETTER WHICH WILL ISSUE
SHORTLY FROM THE HOME SECRETARY TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THIS
SUBJECT. LORD GLENARTHUR MAY WELL WISH TO ENSURE THAT THE ARGUMENTS FOR INCLUSION OF SOME OF THE 130 'UK REFUSAL CASES' ARE FULLY APPRECIATED BY HOME OFFICE MINISTERS, AND WE ARE THEREFORE PREPARING THE BEST CASE WE CAN IN SUPPORT OF THIS. ON THE OTHER
HAND, THE HOME OFFICE ARGUES THAT ANY PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH NEW
CRITERIA WOULD INVOLVE A FULL ROUND OF INTER-MINISTERIAL
CORRESPONDENCE (AS OPPOSED TO AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN THE
HOME OFFICE AND THE FCO) AND COULD RUN THE RISK THAT EVEN THE
DECISION TO FILL THE SHORTFALL OF 468 UNDER EXISTING CRITERIA
WOULD BE OVERTURNED. A FURTHER POINT, FROM THE FCO POINT OF VIEW, IS THAT IT MAY BE TACTICALLY ADVISABLE TO KEEP OUR POWDER DRY AT THIS STAGE, AND TO RESERVE OUR MINISTERIAL FIRE FOR THE
PLANNED INITIATIVE TO PUSH FOR ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT
YEAR.
5.
IT WOULD BE MOST USEFUL TO HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON
ON BALANCE WE ARE INCLINED TO RECOMMEND THAT OUR BEST
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