RESTRICTED
GPS 220
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 1302107 OCT 81
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 922 OF 13 0 TOBER
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON, WASHINGTON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT: USA PROGRAMME
Micke 243/2
13 OCT 1981
DESK OFFICEA
INDEX
PA
No
CA.E.
13/10
YAY
Acton Taken
1. US CONSULATE GENERAL (USCG) HAVE BRIEFED US ON THE LIKELY DEPARTURES FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS (THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE U S
FISCAL YEAR)
2. A PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON THE YEAR'S RESETTLEMENT QUOTA
IS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL AROUND 19 OCTOBER, BUT AS AN INTERIM MEASURE THE REGIONAL OFFTAKE IS APPARENTLY TO BE CUT BY OVER HALF DURING THIS FIRST QUARTER. WASHINGTON ARE CONSIDERING AN OFFTAKE OF ONLY 200 PER MONTH FROM HONG KONG, OUT OF THE REDUCED REGIONAL OFFTAKE FIGURE OF 6,000. WE, UNHCR AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE ARGUED FOR A MORE REALISTIC FIGURE, TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION TO THE FLOW THROUGH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES, THE USCG HAS TELEGRAPHED WASHINGTON TO PRESS FOR A HIGHER SHARE: IDEALLY NEARER 600, WHICH
WOULD GIVE HK 10 PERCENT OF THE REDUCED REGIONAL OFFTAKE, AND BE EQUIVALENT TO A 50 PER CENT REDUCTION OF ACTUAL OFFTAKE FOR LAST
THREE MONTHS.
3. WE GATHER THERE ARE MARKED INTERDEPARTMENTAL DIFFERENCES OF VIEW IN WASHINGTON, AND USCG DO NOT IN ANY CASE EXPECT A REPLY
UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. DEPENDING ON ITS SUBSTANCE, HOWEVER, YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ASKING HM EMBASSY WASHINGTON TO SUPPORT HONG KONG'S CASE FOR A MORE REALISTIC ALLOCATION DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD.
4. HONG KONG NOW HAS THE HIGHEST BOAT REFUGEE POPULATION IN THE
REGION
MACLEHOSE
Pao 13/10
(85)
See (86
81
7
118
LIMITED
HK & GD
FED
NAD
SEAD
UND
COPIES TO:
HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON
NEWS D
INFORMATION D
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR A ACLAND
MR DONALD
LORD NG LENNOX MR URE
(NOT ADVANCED]
RESTRICTED
Page 90Page 91
coped to Mr Atte SEST
23/10
TL HONG KONG
GRS
270
RESTRICTED
TEL EL ETTER
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.