TNAG-1068-FCO40-1318-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 66

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RECEIVED HEDYO $1 13 MAY 1981

FA 2435

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 14

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- 7 MAY 1981

DESK OFFICER

DESK OFFICER

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Mr Donald

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REGISTRY

Action Take:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

Problem

1.

Whether to recommend a further 'quota' of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong?

Recommendation

2. I submit a draft minute from the Secretary of State to the Prime Minister which concludes that no further commitment should be undertaken, but that the situation should be kept under close review. HKGD concur.

Background

*

3. In recent exchanges of correspondence between the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State and No 10, it was agreed that all of the 10,000 refugees covered by the July 1979 commitment should come from Hong Kong, thus in effect making available the 700 places that had been reserved for boat people picked up at sea by British shipping; and that until the Secretary of State had reported on his visit to Hong Kong, guarantees of resettlement may be given for any rescues at sea by British ships.

4.

Although the Governor of Hong Kong did not press for a. further 'quota' during the Secretary of State's visit, he has since updated the Hong Kong situation in his telegram No 462. This shows that although the present situation is under reasonable control (total number of refugees down to about 17,000), there is at least a possibility that the net outflow from Hong Kong will go into reverse. Already arrivals from Vietnam are up on last year's figures. Roints out that the Americans are continuing to imply that

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The Governor also

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