XN000022-1985-09-26 — Page 2

་

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1989

1

UK AGREES TO REUNION OF VIETNAMESE FAMILIES

******

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS TODAY ISSUED A WHITE PAPER SETTING OUT ITS RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE SCORRI (SUB-COMMITTEE ON RACE RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION) REPORT ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

RELEVANT EXTRACTS OF THE WHITE PAPER IN ENGLISH ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE GIS DUTY OFFICER,

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FIRST PART OF A BRITISH HOME OFFICE PRESS RELEASE ON THE WHITE PAPER, REFERRING TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG:

+THE GOVERNMENT'S REPLY TO THE THIRD REPORT OF THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (1984-85 SESSION), ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE VIETNAMESE, IS PUBLISHED TODAY (2.30 PM, SEPTEMBER 26).

+ THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED MANY OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS. IN PARTICULAR

IN PARTICULAR, IT HAS AGREED TO THE REUNION WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN BRITAIN OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THE CAMPS IN HONG KONG. IT HAS DECIDED TO INCREASE ITS FUNDING AND TO EXTEND THE PROGRAMME FOR A FURTHER YEAR: AND IT IS TAKING MEASURES TO REDUCE THE TIME TAKEN TO DECIDE ASYLUM APPLICATIONS.

+ THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT WAS PUBLISHED IN APRIL, AND WAS IN THREE PARTS COVERING: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KÒNG THE VIETNAMESE IN BRITAIN, AND REFUGEE PROCEDURES GENERALLY. IN ITS REPLY, THE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES ITS GRATITUDE TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ITS TIMELY, COMPREHENSIVE AND CAREFUL REPORT, AND ACCEPTS MANY OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

+PART I: WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT BRITAIN'S RECORD IN ACCEPTING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WAS A GOOD ONE, THE COMMITTEE MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS DESIGNED TO REVIVE THE INTERNATIONAL RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME: TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON HONG KONG AND TO REUNITE THOSE IN THE CAMPS WITH THEIR FAMILIES HERE. THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE ACTION ON THESE POINTS. THE FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA FOR VIETNAMESE AT PRESENT IN CAMPS IN COUNTRIES OF TEMPORARY ASYLUM IS TO BE RELAXED RESULTING IN ABOUT 500 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MOST OF THEM IN HONG KONG, BEING ELIGIBLE TO COME HERE. THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO PREPARED TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING FURTHER LIMITED NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. BUT A DECISION ON THIS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE LIGHT OF THE WILLINGNESS SHOWN BY OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING FOR RESETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG A LIMITED NUMBER OF ETHNIC CHINESE IF THE RESETTLEMENT FORMS PART OF A PACKAGE AIMED AT REDUCING DRASTICALLY THE SIZE OF HONG KONG'S VIETNAMESE REFUGEE POPULATION AND RESETTLING ALL THOSE WHOSE STAY IN CAMPS HAS BEEN PROLONGED. THE FCO WILL ACTIVELY PRESS OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO TAKE ADDITIONAL REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN THE LIGHT OF THESE DECISIONS.

/+THT: GOVERNMENT