TNAG-1069-FCO40-1319-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1981 — Page 14

BACKGROUND

CONFIDENTIAL

1.

There are now some 13,000 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong,

not including some 2,700 who entered Hong Kong illegally after

having settled in China. In June 1979, the number of Vietnamese

refugees reaching Hong Kong and South-East Asia reached such

numbers that the Prime Minister called for an international

conference to arrange their resettlement. The United Nations

convened such a conference in July 1979 in Geneva.

Since then,

when HMG pledged to take 10,000 refugees, we have lobbied

resettlement countries and the United Nations High Commissioner

for Refugees (UNHCR) on Hong Kong's behalf. Much lobbying has also

been done by Hong Kong on its own behalf.

UK QUOTA

2.

The last 200 of the 10,000 refugees from Hong Kong to come

to the UK for settlement have been selected and will arrive in the

next few months. (NOT FOR USE) The Hong Kong Government have been

keen that HMG should extend the quota since the United States, the

major resettlement country, is said to look to HMG to set an

example over Hong Kong. It is clear, however, that such a

proposal is not acceptable on political grounds the Home Secretary

told the Governor as much. We are, however, exploring ideas with

the Governor on how a trickle might be maintained.

PERFORMANCE OF THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES

3.

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Many countries have taken Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong.

Since the Geneva Conference, apart from the UK, which has taken

some 11,000, the United States has taken by far the most, some

50,000. Canada has taken about 12,000.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ROLE