TNAG-1392-FCO40-1864-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 222

resettlement.

iii)

A UNHCR official

told a visiting Hong Kong official in May

1984 that in the absence of a "political" gesture by the UK, по опе

else would make such a gesture for a British colony, whereas they would (for political reasons) for ASEAN countries.

2.

We have countered these criticisms by pointing out that the

UK has by no means neglected

responsibilities in this respect:

its

it has already accepted over 18,500 Vietnamese refugees, mostly from

Hong Kong. When added to the 14,000 who have been resettled in Hong

Kong itself, this represents a substantial contribution towards the

international resettlement effort.

3.

There

Would

is no guarantee that resettlement countries

commit themselves to take larger numbers of Vietnamese refugees from

Hong Kong in the event that an additional significant number were

admitted to Britain. The statements reported above suggest that the

effect of the UK accepting a further quota might indeed be to

encourage

other countries to increase their off-take from Hong Kong.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

23 OCTOBER 1984