TNAG-1417-FCO40-1900-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 127

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 149 OF 23 JANUARY

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI ENQUIRY

1. SCORRI HAVE NOW GIVEN US AN INDICATION OF THE QUESTIONS THEY

PROPOSE TO PUT TO MR LUCE AT ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION ON 4

FEBRUARY. THESE ARE AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

(I) FAMILY REUNION

A) THE PROBLEM OF BLOCKAGE OF RESETTLEMENT WHEN PEOPLE IN THE

CAMPS HAVE CLOSE RELATIVES IN BRITAIN (NOTE: WE INTERPRET

THIS AS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ARE

RELUCTANT TO (CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM REFUGEES WHO HAVE

RELATIVES IN THE UK, EVEN IF THESE ARE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO

MEET THE HOME OFFICE'S STRICT FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA).

B) THE EFFECT OF THE STRICT FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA ON THOSE

VIETNAMESE ALREADY HERE.

C)

THE CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION UNDER THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE

PROGRAMME (ODP) AND THE POTENTIAL FUTURE INTAKE UNDER THE ODP.

(II) DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES

D) WHETHER OR NOT THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER

RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES ON THEIR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL

REFUGEES IF THE UK ACCEPTED AROUND 100, AND IF SO, WHETHER THESE

DISCUSSIONS ARE VIEWED OPTIMISTICALLY.

E)

WHETHER ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES

FEEL THAT THE VIETNAMESE ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES.

(III) CLOSED CAMPS

F) DOES THE FCO REALLY BELIEVE THAT CLOSED CAMPS HAVE A

DETERRENT EFFECT?

G) QUESTIONS ON UNHCR CRITICISMS OF POLICY.

H)

THE EFFECT OF CLOSED CAMPS ON THE SUBSEQUENT ABILITY OF THE

REFUGEES TO RESETTLE.

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