TNAG-1068-FCO40-1318-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 126

Mir augt

HO/FO 206/19

PP HONG AID

GRS 170

K129

HKG D

EA

UND NTD

[HK Govt Office]

NO DISTRIBUTION

MICK

X4

(x4)

243/2

Y NO. 31

THIS TELEGRAMMAR 1981

WAS NOT OFFICER RECI ADVANCED. PA

No

MS

Action Tokel

19 Pain 1913

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 190344Z MAR 81

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 462 OF 19 MAR

FOR FORD

FROM DAVIES

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. THE GOVERNOR AGREED WITH YOU THAT WE SHOULD NOT PRESS

THE HOME OFFICE ON THIS UNTIL AFTER THE AMENDMENTS TO

THE NATIONALITY BILL ARE AGREED AND UNTIL AFTER THE

S OF S'S FAR EASTERN TOUR.

2. IT WOULD ASSIST US IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM IF BY 27 MARCH

YOU WOULD LET US HAVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT PROCEDURE

WE COULD SUGGEST, NOT EXCLUDING FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY HKG, THAT WOULD HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS. THE

GOVERNOR FEARS THAT THE S OF S TAKES THE VIEW THAT IT IS

NOT MONEY WHICH IS THE PRINCIPAL PROBLEM- BUT UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE RESISTANCE TO IMMIGRATION WHICH THIS GENERATES. NEVERTHELESS PROVIDED THE OFF-TAKE IS LIMITED TO 250 A MONTH THIS OBJECTION SHOULD NOT BE INSUPERABLE.

3. MEANWHILE AS YOU KNOW THE HOME OFFICE TEAM LEFT WITHOUT

BEING ABLE TO FILL ABOUT 450 PLACES OF THE REVISED QUOTA. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THIS BRANCH ARE CONSIDERING

WHAT STEPS TO TAKE TO RECTIFY THIS. OBVIOUSLY IT IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE THAT WE SHOULD FILL ANY QUOTA OFFERED TO

US BY RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES.

MACLEHOSE