CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 642
OF 25050OZ FEBRUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
65
153751
MDHIAN 4141
CONFIDENTIAL
REC
FIALHED 24,319 -
2 FEB 969
AST ?
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE : UK RESETTLEMENT AND MANDATORY REPATRIATION
THE UK DECISION TO LIFT THE CONDITIONS ON ITS OFFER OF A FURTHER 1,000 RESETTLEMENT PLACES OVER THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS IS VERY WELCOME. IN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DECISION WE HAVE MADE THE POINT THAT THE UK AND HKG EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE RESETTLEMENT OFFTAKE FROM
HONG KONG SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE. IN 1988 THE OFFTAKE WAS 2,700 AND IN 1989 IT NOW SEEMS LIKELY THAT WE SHALL ACHIEVE A FIGURE IN EXCESS OF 4,000.WITH A REFUGEE POPULATION OF 15,000, AND ASSUMING ONLY A SLOW GROWTH WITH PEOPLE SCREENED IN, WE CAN EXPECT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THIS MOMENTUM MUST BE EMPHASISED.
2. PRESS COMMENT ON REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT HAS BEEN POSITIVE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A WIDESPREAD AND POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS ON MADATORY REPATRIATION. IT IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED IN HONG KONG THAT THE SCREENING POLICY CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT REPATRIATION. VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS OF COURSE PREFERABLE BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC VIEW, AND THE VIEW AMONGST LEGCO MEMBERS, IS THAT MANDATORY REPATRIATION IS A REASONABLE RESPONSE IF THE VOLUNTARY
ROUTE PROVES TO BE INADEQUATE. A COPY OF OUR SUMMARY OF TODAY'S PRESS/MEDIA COMMENTS FOLLOWS BY FAX.
3. AT AN IN-HOUSE MEETING YESTERDAY, LEGCO MEMBERS PUT THE ISSUE OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION TO A VOTE. 35 MEMBERS VOTED IN FAVOUR AND TWO VOTED AGAINST (MARTIN LEE AND ANDREW WONG). THERE WAS ONE ABSTENTION. IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR MEMBERS TO TAKE A VOTE AT THEIR
IN-HOUSE MEETINGS. THEIR NEAR UNANIMITY ON THIS ISSUE IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE DEPTH OF FEELING ON THIS ISSUE IN HONG KONG.
FORD
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CONFIDENTIAL