TNAG-1418-FCO40-1901-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

TT WASHINGTON

FA 243/548/2

GRS

305

CONFIDENTIAL

TELELETTER

FROM ST NASH, SEAD, FCO

FILE REFERENCE FA 243/548/2

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FIKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

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KJ4/6

02 JUL 1985

DESK OFFICER

DATED 22 MAY 85

INDEX

FOLLOWING FOR S J GOMERSALL ESQ, WASHINGTON

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT

1. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR TELEPHONE ENQUIRY OF 20 MAY, WE HAVE

CONSIDERED WHAT ACTION WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WITH THE AMERICANS

AT THIS STAGE.

2.

THE NEXT STAGE IN THE SCORRI PROCESS IS FOR HMG IE THE HOME

OFFICE TOGETHER WITH OURSELVES TO PUT TOGETHER A CONSIDERED

RESPONSE IE WHITE PAPER. THIS SHOULD BE READY WITHIN TWO MONTHS

OF PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT BUT WE THINK IT IS UNLIKELY THAT

THIS DEADLINE WILL BE MET. WE AND THE HOME OFFICE WILL NEED TO

CLEAR OUR LINES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL ESPECIALLY ON THE QUESTION

OF HOW MANY REFUGEES WE SHOULD ACCEPT FROM HONG KONG IN ORDER

TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE MORE.

TO THIS END THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS WRITTEN TO THE HOME

SECRETARY RECOMMENDING THAT WE ACCEPT NOT ONLY THE 400-500 FAMILY

REUNION CASES MENTIONED BY SCORRI, BUT ALSO THAT WE ACCEPT A

COMMITMENT TO A CONTINUING OFF-TAKE OF SOME 500 A YEAR BY THE UK.

WE ARGUE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A GESTURE OF THIS DIMENSION IN ORDER

TO PUT REAL PRESSURE ON OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO HELP

FURTHER.

3. REGARDING THE 400-500 FAMILY REUNION CASES, THE SIGNALS WE

HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE HOME OFFICE ARE RELATIVELY FAVOURABLE. ON

THE QUESTION OF A CONTINUING COMMITMENT, I THINK WE SHALL HAVE

MORE DIFFICULTIES.

4. THE ABOVE IS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION. WHEN

TALKING FORMALLY TO THE AMERICANS YOU SHOULD LIMIT YOURSELF TO

SAYING THAT IN ADVANCE OF A CONSIDERED GOVERNMENT REPLY TO THE

REPORT WE CANNOT SAY WHAT OUR RESPONSE TO SCORRI'S

RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE.

YOU MAY, HOWEVER, WHEN SPEAKING

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