CONFIDENTIAL
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
ESSENTIAL FACTS
1 There were about 5,000 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong at the beginning of the year. A further 72,961 have arrived since (up to 23 October). UNHCR have so far resettled only 14,566 leaving 64,107 on 23 October still waiting in Hong Kong. Even on the assumption of no future arrivals and a likely departure rate of 4,000 refugees per month, Hong Kong will not have resettled its refugee population until 1981.
2
On present estimates, of 20,000 resettlement places likely to be available outside the six major programmes (USA, Canada, West Germany, France, Australia, UK), only 2,000 will be made
available to Hong Kong. We hope Mr de Haan can take action to reinforce his earlier pleas for a fairer allocation of resettle-
ment places before resettlement programmes for 1980 are finalised.
3
The UNHCR have allocated increased resources to Hong Kong and have agreed, with effect from 1 September 1979, to assume full responsibility for refugees in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong Government still fear that the UNHCR's proposed allocation for the rest of 1979 and for 1980 will be inadequate to meet the likely costs. We have already expressed our concern
to UNHCR who have noted our comments.
4 On 19 September, Hong Kong returned 733 refugees to China,
under an agreement reached with the Chinese Government for the return of Vietnamese refugees who reach Hong Kong illegally after first having been allowed to resettle in China. Discussions are continuing with the Chinese over the return of further groups. The UNHCR have raised with the Hong Kong Government a few cases of refugees who returned who appeared to have good prospects of
resettlement in other countries. The Hong Kong Government have
provided details on the understanding that the cases would only
be pursued after the refugees had first returned to China.
CONFIDENTIAL
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