TNAG-1417-FCO40-1900-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 148

KESTRICTED

HOME AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE ON RACE RELATIONS AND IMMIGRATION: INQUIRY INTO REFUGEES

II RESPONSES TO POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Has the UK tried to obtain firm undertakings or reciprocal

action from other resettlement countries with "sufficient

vigour and enthusiasm"?

(See paras 159 and 161 of Home Office evidence.)

9 Both we and the Hong Kong Government maintain regular dialogue

with other resettlement countries, both bilaterally and through

UNHCR (for details see below). We have constantly drawn to

their attention the urgent need for the provision of more

resettlement places for the refugees at present in Hong Kong.

However we have not been able to extract firm undertakings from

those countries that they would take more on condition that the

UK took the lead, because we have never been in a position to

demonstrate our own willingness to take the lead.

Bilateral and Multilateral approaches to other governments and

UNHCR

10 In May 1983 we consulted the governments of all the principal

resettlement countries to seek their views on the merits of a

joint approach to the Vietnamese to urge them to step up the

Orderly Departure Programme which stemmed originally from a UK

initiative in 1979 in order to check the outflow of refugees from Vietnam. Only one government expressed interest in the idea of

a multilateral approach to the Vietnamese. Such an approach was

unlikely to be worthwhile without wide support. We therefore

saw no alternative but to abandon the idea for the time being.

11 At the same time we urged all those governments to step up

their resettlement of refugees from Hong Kong. None responded.

We have of course remained in constant touch with those govern-

ments, who have shown sympathy for Hong Kong's predicament but see

this as a matter in which we as the responsible power must

take the initiative.

<

RESTRICTED

/11