CONFIDENTIAL
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : ESSENTIAL FACTS
1.
HMG agreed at Geneva in 1979 to take 10,000 Vietnamese refugees
from Hong Kong for resettlement. This quota now fully committed.
Numbers resettled in the UK in fact rather more than 10,000 because
of inclusion of some 1,000 covered by quota agreed by previous
administration, plus several boat rescues in Spring 1979.
2. Now about 13,000 refugees in Hong Kong awaiting resettlement (not
including sizable group who entered Hong Kong illegally after resettle-
US will take total ment in China and are to be repatriated to China).
of 4,000 in January and February. Australian and Canadian resettle-
ment programmes tailing off. Hong Kong wishes UK commitment to
continue so that other countries, particularly the US (who are now
taking 75 per cent of all refugees leaving Hong Kong) will be encouraged
to maintain their offtakes. Hong Kong Government may predict major
local political problems if there is no further UK quota but we
believe this unlikely unless numbers suddenly start to rise rapidly:
net fall in 1981 will be about 10,000. In any case, little likelihood
of HMG agreeing to extend UK quota as Home Secretary and Secretary of
State explained to Governor in summer.
3.
Rescues by UK registered vessels.
Will be considered on merits
case by case and referred to No 10. System has worked well for refugees landing in Singapore, approval being generally given within
48 hours. Hong Kong Government would prefer blanket guarantee to
resettle all rescued by British ships but No 10 wish to be consulted
on each case.
CONFIDENTIAL
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