CONFIDENTIAL
(ii) Because of HMG's commitment to those rescued by UK ships we have not been involved in the existing DISERO scheme. Other, particularly flag-of-convenience, states who are unable to make a commitment to resettle any refugees at all should continue to operate the DI SERO scheme.
(iii) Continuing UK commitments, to those Vietnamese already here on the admission of close relatives, and to future rescues by UK registered ships are not the only refugee commitments we face. In addition there are numbers of Poles, Ghanaians and Iranians in this country who are seeking asylum as refugees, as well as other nationals who qualify as refugees. These cases represent
an additional commitment under our international obliga- tions which we are not prepared to add to.
(iv) With regard to paras 6(d) and 7(g) of the Memorandum, we share Dutch reservations about the unpredictable scope of the guarantee system. The procedure is not clear on whether a flag state could reserve places in its own quota before accepting cases from other flag states under RASRO. At present our rescues at sea are handled on an individual ship basis and the Home Office would not accept any scheme involving additional annual automatic guarantees. Is it not also recognised that guarantees of resettlement would strengthen the 'pull-factor', giving rise to new outflows of refugees?
(v) UNHCR's amendment of para.6(b) of the Memorandum indicates a lack of certainty about the guarantees for resettlement and the Hong Kong Government Office say that this underlines their fears about the RASRO proposals (see also their letter of 26 May, copied to you with my minute town of 15 June). Hong Kong does not share UNHCR's optimism about the timely removal of refugees rescued at sea or the risk that RASRO would reduce further the limited opportunities for resettling other categories of Vietnamese in Hong Kong (some 40% of whom have been there for more than two years). Hong Kong also fears that it would become a target for disembarking boat rescues, if the first port-of- call principle is waived.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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