ABCACQ (4)
We have launched an intensive diplomatic campaign to persuade other resettlement countries to respond to our call for a major international effort is now required to resettle the 15,000
boat people in Hong Kong who have refugee status.
UK DECISION IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
Do not forget UK has already taken 13,000 from Hong Kong
and is continuing to resettle at a rate of 20 per month.
Now ready in principle to double our current intake a substantial increase, particularly for a country like Britain facing immigration pressures from all over the world.
Have formulated our decision in a way which we believe will stimulate maximum mew new commitments from other countries.
UK DECISION ONLY CONDITIONAL: WHAT IF OTHERS FAIL TO COME UP WITH
SUBSTANTIAL NEW COMMITMENTS?
Believe international community recognise scale of problem Hong Kong faces and will respond generously to our call, as
they have done in the past.
Encouraged by announcement of substantially increased quotas from Canada and New Zealand: this is most timely. Now call
on others to follow suit.
IS UK GIVING PRIORITY TO ODP ARRIVALS?
The Orderly Departure Programme is quite distinct from our programme of resettlement of boat people from Hong Kong.
The latter are refugees; arrivals under the ODP come under our normal immigration rules and are entitled to enter the UK.
We have no control over the rate of arrivals under ODP: that depends on rate at which Vietnamese authorities issue visas.