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destination; and is already very crowded. Kong has the highest number of boat refugees, more than 13,000, awaiting resettlement.
we still take family reunion cases (immediate family of those already in the UK) either from Vietnam (under the Orderly Departure Programme, where we have over 2,000 outstanding cases) or from countries of first asylum (though very few).
we consider all cases of those rescued by UK- registered shipping. So far this year we have issued guarantees in respect of 170 boat-people rescued at sea, all from the southern part of the South China Sea. Most can be expected to come to the UK and to make further family reunion applications in due course.
4 I hope this gives you a little ammunition. But as you can see, our present immigration policy gives us little hope of taking more than a very few Vietnamese from the countries of first asylum themselves. You should, of course, point out as appropriate that we appreciate the important contribution made by Malaysia, like the other countries of first asylum, to relieving the continuing tragedy of the boat-people and the humanitarian concern they have demonstrated. We have also done what we can together with other resettlement states and with UNHCR, to accelerate the Programme for Orderly Departure from Vietnam which has shown a very promising increase so far this year.
you
eve
Christopher Rygan.
CM J Segar
South East Asian Department
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