RESTRICTED
GRS 650
RESTRICTED
DESK BY FCO 25O9OOZ
FM HONG KONG 2506452 JAN 65
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 204 OF 25 JANUARY
INFO MIMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
HKK 243/2
RECEIVED 1.
YOUR TELIO 149 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : SCORAL ENQUIRY,
Y
Tow
SH
1. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE SPECIFIC POTITS-YOU"
YOU RAISE IN TUR:
(1)
ON SCORRI'S QUESTION (A) WE ARE WHOLLY RELIANT ON INFORMATION
PROVIDED BY UNHCR. THEY ADVISE US THAT THERE ARE 435 VR'S HERE WITH
CLOSE RELATIVES (1.E. INCLUDING PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, AND SIBLINGS) IN THE UK. UNHCR SAYS THAT IN
PRACTICE THESE LINKS NOW DEBAR MOST OF THESE FROM CONSIDERATION
FOR RESETTLEMENT BY OTHER COUNTRIES. WE ARE ALSO ADVISED BY UNHCR
THAT UK CRITERIA ON FAMILY RRUNION ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAT
THOSE OF MANY OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES THAT STILL ACCEPT VR'S.
FROM COMPARATIVE TABLES PROVIDED BY UNHCR, UK CRITERIA ARE TOUGHER
THAN THOSE APPLIED BY AUSTRALIA, CANADA, FRANCE, JAPAN, NETHERLANDS,
NEW ZEALAND AND USA.
(11) ON SCORRI'S QUESTION (H), WE HAVE NO (NO) REASON TO BELIEVE THAT CLOSED CENTRES MAKE VR'S. MORE DIFFICULT TO RESETTLE THAN DO
OPEN CENTRES. INDEED IN SOME WAYS THE FACT THAT CLOSED CONTRER
REFUGEES ARE DETAINED AND ARE THUS ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS
AND MEDICALS, AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO FALL FOUL OF HONG KONG
LAW (E.G. PETTY OFFENCES LIKE LOITERING) MAKES THEM EASIER TO
RESETTLE. THE CANADIANS MADE EXACTLY THIS POINT TO US LAST YEAR
IN TAKING THEIR ADDITIONAL QUOTA OF 600 VR'S ONLY FROM THE CLOSED CENTRES. FINALLY, THE FIGURES FOR RESETTLEMENT SINCE THE CLOSED CENTRES WERE INTRODUCED SHOW 4054 RESETTLED FROM CLOSED CENTRES
AND 5824 FROM OPEN CENTRES UP TO END 1334. AS THE PROPORTION OF
VR'S IN CLOSED CENTRES INCREASES AND THAT IN OPEN CENTRES DECLINES,
MORE DEPARTURES WILL INEVITABLY COME FROM THE CLOSED CENTRES.
(111) ON SCORRI'S QUESTION (1), WE MUST REITERATE THAT HONG KONG HAS TAKEN 14272 DISPLACED INDOCHINESE SINCE 1975. THESE COMPRISE
9026 PERSONS TEMPORARILY OR ILLEGALLY RESIDENT HERE IN 1975 (5805 VIETNAMESE, 2228 KHMER AND 993 LAO): 4782 VIETNAMESE BROUGHT FROM HOCHIMINH CITY TO HONG KONG BY CHARTERED FLIGHTS
BETWEEN 1976 AND 1379: AND 464 BOAT PEOPLE RESETTLED FROM HONG
KONG CAMPS AND OTHER PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM SINCE 1975. THIS IS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER, ESPECIALLY WHEN PLACED IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CHINESE IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS. THESE HAVE LED US TO ACCEPT
RESTRICTED
5805 4782
2.587
NEARLY.
10
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.