CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25090OZ FCO
TELNO 801
OF 25074OZ FEBRUARY 88
INFO DESKBY 25083OZ SEOUL
INFO ROUTINE HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
I
HUD 243/12
B988
TOP COPY DICT ?
125156 MDHIAN 9097
13
SEOUL FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
THE MEDIA TODAY REPORTED PROMINENTLY THAT IN A LETTER FROM LORD GLENARTHUR TO SIR PETER BLAKER DATED 2 FEBRUARY 1988, HMG HAD REJECTED AN APPEAL FROM THE BRITISH HK PARLIAMENTARY
GROUP FOR INCREASED RESETTLEMENT IN THE UK OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
FROM HONG KONG. THE LETTER STATED THAT THE ARRIVAL OF REFUGEES
DIRECT FROM VIETNAM UNDER THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME HAD
(QUOTE) INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS (UNQUOTE)
AND THAT THIS WAS PLACING A CONSIDERABLE BURDEN ON RECEPTION
FACILITIES. LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WERE QUOTED AS COMMENTING
CRITICALLY ON THIS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE UK SHOULD NOT BE
INCREASING RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES DIRECT FROM VIETNAM AT THE EXPENSE OF RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD
TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH LORD GLENARTHUR WHEN HE ARRIVES HERE
TOMORROW.
IT
2. THE BACKGROUND TO THIS IS THAT SIR PETER SENT A COPY OF
LORD GLENARTHUR'S LETTER TO MISS LYDIA DUNN, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT HE SAW NO OBJECTION TO IT BEING MORE WIDELY CIRCULATED.
WAS ACCORDINGLY CIRCULATED TO MEMBERS OF OMELCO. A MEMBER RAISED
IT WITH SIR PETER AT THE END OF HIS MEETING WITH LEGISLATIVE
COUNCILLORS YESTERDAY. SOMEONE MUST THEN HAVE BRIEFED THE
MEDIA
3. GRATEFUL FOR LINE TO TAKE (INCLUDING STATISTICS ON PAST AND
PRESENT UK ODP OFFTAKE) IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUERIES AND
LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS DESKBY 26010OZ. SIR PETER IS
SCHEDULED TO MEET THE PRESS TOMORROW (FRIDAY). WE MUST ALSO
EXPECT THAT THIS WILL BE ONE ISSUE RAISED WHEN LORD GLENARTHUR
MEETS THE PRESS ON HIS DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG ON 27 FEBRUARY.
WE WILL OF COURSE MAKE IT CLEAR TO MEMBERS OF LEGCO THAT THERE
WILL NOT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MEET THE MINISTER ON THIS
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CONFIDENTIAL