TNAG-0971-FCO40-1190-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1980 — Page 60

าน

CONFIDENTIAL

#ants is cut palkka?,

HKK 243/2..

KERIVED IN RED Bv. 51

1 1 NOV 1980

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

سال

PA

KAVSTRÝ Action Taken

DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE HOME SECRETARY AND THE GOVERNOR OF AW"

HONG KONG : 6 NOVEMBER 1980

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

Present

The Rt Hon William Whitelaw MP

Mr Timothy Raison MP

Mr P J Woodfield CB CBE

Mr S W Boys Smith

See

Sir Murray MacLehose GBE KCMG KCVO Mr R D Clift

1. Mr Whitelaw said that he was keen to help if possible and asked the Governor to describe the problem.

2. Sir Murray MacLehose said that he undertood that from the UK point of view the fewer refugees taken the better. However, Hong Kong was heavily dependent on off-take by the United States and Canada. The Americans had said that they expected to continue to take 1,500 per month, but that they would not be able to do this if the UK ceased its programme. This was because of strong Congressional pressure. It would thus be very serious if HMG said that there was to be no further programme. He suggested that a statement should be made that the UK programme would continue and that a Home Office team would be sent to decide on suitable candidates for reception after the end of the current programme. Of course, HMG would before long be asked how many would be taken. The answer could be left vague and along the lines that not more than 5,000 would be involved including boat rescues.

3.

Mr Whitelaw said that they would continue taking people from boat rescues but aside from this the situation was extremely difficult. The programme so far had been conducted without publicity or adverse comment. Indeed the subject had been helpfully treated at the Conservative Party Conference. But there were now difficulties in getting the refugees quickly through the centres. Housing and unemployment problems had made the political atmosphere very unfavourable for a new quota. As Home Secretary, he could

-see attached

not propose an increase without inviting a rebuff; nor could he ask local authorities to do more without their demanding more cash. In fact he had decided to provide £100 million in order to help prime the pump on the housing problem. He might be open to criticism for this but it was the right thing to do. But in proposing anything more he would not only be opposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer but by some members of the Conservative Party. In these circumstances he could do nothing, not even give a vague hint as to the future, without going to the Prime Minister. The feeling on unemployment was so intense that any other move would be dangerous. Sir M MacLehose pointed out that most refugees would get jobs which British people would not fill. Mr Whitelaw agreed but doubted if that would much affect the emotional reaction to the idea of a new quota.

/4.

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 60Page 61