TNAG-1029-FCO40-1279-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 61

Mr Williamson

Lamson JB.s.

Mr Morrice

Mr Clift

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Thi Clift

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Reference

HKK 243/2

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MEETING WITH HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ON 7 MAY:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. Mr Clift asked for a note on the proposal that Hong Kong shou pay the costs of an Ockenden Venture Resettlement Centre for sponsored refugees after the existing UK quota is filled.

2.

This subject was raised by the Governor during his meeting with the Secretary of State on 10 March. Subsequent moves are set out in Mr Ford's FCO Telegram Number 294 and Hong Kong Telegr Number 515 in reply. The question was also discussed in Hong Kon during Lord Carrington's visit when there was some doubt as to whether this proposal would provide a sufficient outflow to the UK in order to satisfy other recipient countries.

3.

Both Lord Carrington (in his meeting with the Governor) and Mr Stitt have pointed out that sponsorship does not in itself resolve the problems of unemployment, housing, health care and supplementary benefit. The Home Office will presumably also wish to know whether enough refugees will come forward in Hong Kong to justify such a sponsorship scheme (paragraph 4 of FCO Telegram Number 294).

6 May 1981

Martin A. Searle

M A Searle

Hong Kong and General Department

Mr Morrice

Mr Williamson

1.

cc Mr Stitt, SEAD

I attended the meeting on 7 May. Besides Mr Ford and myself the following were present: Mr Hindley, Assistant Secretary; Mr Goddard, Principal; and Mr Spence from the Immigration and Nationality Department of the Home Office.

2. Mr Ford outlined Hong Kong's tentative ideas on two poinds. He stressed that these were not intended to pre-empt any political decision on a future quota but as contingency exploration of ways in which the UK programme might be continued with the minimum political difficulty.

Family Reunions

One possibility would be to widen the interpretation or

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3.

CODE 18-77

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