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MDHOAN 9548
PROGRAMME. IT IN NO WAY, IN ITSELF, CONFERS ANY SPECIAL IMMIGRATION RIGHTS ON THOSE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE PROGRAMME.
(C) THE RATE OF DEPARTURES UNDER THE ODP PROGRAMME IS CONTROLLED BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. IN RECENT YEARS, ARRIVALS IN THE UK HAVE BEEN AS FOLLOWS:
1983
856
1984
588
1985
325
1986
213
1987
162
FROM JULY 1986-APRIL 1987 THERE WERE ONLY 15 ARRIVALS IN THE UK. SINCE MAY 1987-JANUARY 1988 THE RATE OF ARRIVALS IN THE UK HAS INCREASED, AND 186 ARRIVED IN THE UK IN THAT PERIOD.
(D) THE UK'S CURRENT COMMITMENT UNDER THIS PROGRAMME IS ABOUT 1650. BUT IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO COME TO THE UK, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY WAITED A LONG TIME TO DO SO.
(E) ONE OF THE REASONS FOR ENTERING ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES UNDER THE UK ODP PROGRAMME WAS TO FACILITATE A LEGITIMATE CHANNEL FOR DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM OF THOSE ELIGIBLE, AND THEREBY TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE FOR ILLEGAL
DEPARTURES.
(F) THERE IS THUS NO QUESTION THAT ADMISSIONS UNDER THE ODP ARE AT THE EXPENSE OF HONG KONG. ON THE CONTRARY THEIR INTENTION IS TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF REFUGEES ON PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM SUCH AS HONG KONG.
HOWE
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
50
ΜΑΙΝ
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
1
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
NN NN
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