TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 149

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From: THE PRIVATE SECRETARY

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13 June 1979

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Stephen Wall wrote to you yesterday 'enclosing briefing for the Prime Minister's meeting with the Governor of Hong Kong tomorrow evening. So far as briefing on the Vietnamese refugees is concerned, we have little to add to what is said in the Foreign Office briefing and the material we provided for the Prime Minister's Questions yesterday. There are, however, two important points of which the Prime Minister will wish to be aware.

(a) Quite apart from general immigration considerations, this

country's capacity to accept more refugees from South East Asia is limited not only by difficulties of finding suitable short-term reception accommodation (difficulties which are capable of solution but only at the price of increased Government involvement) but also by the longer term problems of finding housing and employment for a group of people who have no large established communities with which they can forge links in this country and little or no knowledge of the English language. These difficulties lend further emphasis to the Government's view that long-term solutions need to be sought by international action, particularly in the context of the South East Asia region.

(b) The Government of Hong Kong expressed concern yesterday to the

Foreign Office - and this might be raised with the Prime Minister that the reception of the Sibonga and Roach Bank refugees would delay the movement of Hong Kong's share (1,000) of the quota of

1,500 which this country has said it will accept. (The commitment itself was dealt with by the Home Secretary in the House on Monday). The arrival of the Sibonga and Roach Bank refugees should not delay the movement of the 400-500 refugees from the Hong Kong share of the quota who have already been selected for settlement. The team of two who made this selection are due to return to Hong Kong in the summer and there is no reason why this arrangement should be delayed. (Any Sibonga refugees left in Hong Kong could be selected within the 1500 quota) I am sending copies of this letter to Stephen Wall (FCO), Roger Facer (MOD) and Martin Vile (Cabinet Office).

Your wincrely

Tay Butta.

A. J. BUTLER

Bryan Cartledge, Esq.