TNAG-1274-FCO40-1624-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 265

J Page Esą

RESTRICTED

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH

Voluntary Services Unit

Room 1378

Home Office

Queen Anne's Gate LONDON

Dear Mr. Page,

Telephone 01-233 5073

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

23 JUN 1985.

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

Action Taken

PA

✓

HTM

pa

Your reference

Our reference

Date

Wigs hall

(940)

Fel set to HK ti

(coped to H&GO)

243/17/48-16

27 June 1983

COMMONS ADJOURNMENT ON THE PROBLEMS FACING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : 29 JUNE (MR KEITH BEST MP)

1 We spoke this morning, Below are some supplementaries we believe Ministers would find it useful to have to hand for this debate:-

2 Refugees in Hong Kong

Sympathy with Hong Kong's continuing refugee burden, Numbers again increasing (12,600) as opportunities for resettlement diminish, All should be grateful for the continuing contribution to this major humanitarian problem made by Hong Kong which has since 1975 also absorved 14,000 Vietnamese into its own community.

3 Closed Camps

Hong Kong's closed centres are a temporary measure forced on the Hong Kong Government by events, For refugees arriving in Hong Kong, prospects for resettlement are now extremely poor, Diminished prospects for resettlement have also placed overcrowded Hong Kong, which has an outstanding record both as a place of first asylum and for absorbing refugees into its own community, in an unenviable position. As a temporary and regrettable necessity in these unique circumstances they are well run with the full cooperation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who also helps to fund the centres,

[If Pressed] One purpose of the closed centres is to avoid encouraging further arrivals. The centres do not fully accord with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has been extended to Hong Kong,

RESTRICTED

/Repatriation