TNAG-1182-FCO40-1484-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 79

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LETTER FROM MR NORMAN LAMONT MP: TREATMENT OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

Problem

1.

To reply to a letter from Mr Norman Lamont MP on the subject

of the treatment of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.

165

T52

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that Lord Belstead reply on the lines of the

attached draft. SEAD concur.

Background and Argument

3.

See (167

(167)

At 20 July, there were 11,893 Vietnamese refugees in Hong

Kong, including 486 awaiting repatriation to China and 727 housed

in closed camps under the new policy.

4.

It is not clear to what recent events Mr Lamont's

constituent is referring in her letter. It is possible that she

means the recently introduced closed camp policy, the background

to which is set out in my submission of 23 July. But it is perhaps

better not to draw attention to this in the reply.

H McQuade

4 August 1982

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL