TNAG-1273-FCO40-1623-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 142

CONFIDENTIAL

00 HONG KONG DESKBY 110030Z

GRS 136

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 110030Z MAR

FM FCO 101932Z MAR 83

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 221 OF 10 MARCH 83

7551

1

IA

See (15 See (

MKK 243

15 MAR 1983

PA (YRs 9Hk)

CH 16/3

FROM SEAD

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

1.

MR TOM ARNOLD HAS PUT THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR ANSWER

ON 14 MARCH:-

TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT CURRENT POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMES

IN HONG KONG''.

2. GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS BY 110930Z ON THE FOLLOWING

DRAFT REPLY:

'' THERE ARE NEARLY 13,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES CURRENTLY IN

HONG KONG AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL

EFFORTS BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

O FIND DURABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THESE CASES IN COUNTRIES OF

RESETTLEMENT. WE CANNOT EXPECT HONG KONG TO ACCEPT THESE

REFUGEES FOR SETTLEMENT AS WELL AS PROVIDING THEM WITH

FIRST ASYLUM''

PYM

NNNN

DIST

MINIMAL

SEAD

HKGD

1

CONFIDENTIAL