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FER 1988 CONFIDENTIAL
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113052
MDLIAN 1624
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 706
OF 22020OZ FEBRUARY 88
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
PERSONAL FOR HUM, HKD.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : UK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME
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TOP COPY Q DIST 7
AT UNHCR (HONG KONG) 'S QUARTERLY RESETTLEMENT MEETING ON 3 FEBRUARY SEVERAL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WERE CRITICAL OF THE UK'S RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME. CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE UK'S UNWILLINGNESS TO (QUOTE) BACK-FILL (UNQUOTE) THE QUOTA OF 468 WITH OTHER SUITABLE REFUGEES TO REPLACE THOSE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR UK RESETTLEMENT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. GENERALLY
RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES' REPRESENTATIVES SAW THE CURRENT UK PROGRAMME AS A REDUCED RESETTLEMENT COMMITMENT, COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THE UK IS ONLY TAKING PEOPLE WITH UK LINKS.
2.
RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES REPRESENTATIVES AND UNHCR ALSO REGRETTED THE ABSENCE OF ANY OFFICE OR PERSON IN HONG KONG WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE UK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME WITH WHOM TO NEGOTIATE. WE EXPLAINED THAT HKG COULD NOT NEGOTIATE ON HMG'S BEHALF IN SUCH MATTERS AND COULD ONLY RELAY PROPOSALS TO LONDON FOR CONSIDERATION.
FOUR
3. THE CANADIAN REPRESENTATIVE RAISED A SPECIFIC CASE INVOLVING 9 REFUGEES IN WHOM A PRIVATE CANADIAN SPONSOR WAS INTERESTED. OF THE NINE ARE ON THE UK LIST OF 468 NAMED INDIVIDUALS AND AS SUCH ARE TREATED BY UNHCR AS COMMITTED FOR RESETTLEMENT, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN CALLED FORWARD FOR UK RESETTLEMENT YET.
THEY ARE
1. 2.
-
LE VAN KHIENIM 154
NGUYEN THI TOAN/F/56
LE VAN QUAN/M/81
3.
4.
LÊ THỤY DANH IF/18-2-83
THE CANADIANS WOULD BE WILLING TO ACCEPT ALL NINE FOR
RESETTLEMENT
IN CANADA (BUT PROBABLY NOT (NOT) JUST THE FIVE NOT ON THE UK LIST) IF THE UK WOULD AGREE TO BACK-FILL THE FOUR PLACES IN SOME WAY.
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