TNAG-1418-FCO40-1901-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 92

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DD 300100Z HONG KONG

GRS 1117

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DESKBY 300100Z

FM FCO 291645Z MAY 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

MKK 243/2.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

30 MAY 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTHY

Action Taken

TELEGRAM NUMBER 742 OF 29 MAY

FOR GOVERNOR FROM GALSWORTHY

MIPT: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT.

مله

FOLLOWING IS PASSAGE

FOR INCLUSION IN HOME OFFICE WHITE PAPER REPLYING TO SCORRI

RECOMMENDATIONS

BEGINS

RECOMMENDATION 2:

draft on Fred.

THAT (1) COMMENCE UNDERLINING CLOSED CAMPS SHOULD BE ABOLISHED AND THEIR INMATES TRANSFERRED TO OPEN CAMPS END UNDERLINING

(II) COMMENCE UNDERLINING IF THE CLOSED CAMPS ARE NOT ABOLISHED, THE FCO SHOULD PUT ON RECORD IMMEDIATELY THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT WOULD WITHDRAW ITS SANCTION FROM THE CLOSED CAMP POLICY END UNDERLINING

1. HMG HAVE CONSIDERED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CAREFULLY IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. AS MR LUCE MADE CLEAR IN HIS EVIDENCE TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE, NEITHER HMG NOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REGARD IT AS SATISFACTORY OR DESIRABLE THAT REFUGEES SHOULD BE CONFINED TO CLOSED CAMPS. THE PRESENT

SITUATION IS FAR FROM IDEAL, AND HMG FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY IT CAUSES CONCERN TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE. HMG SHARE THAT CONCERN. HOWEVER FOR THE PRACTICAL REASONS EXPLAINED BELOW, IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES HMG SEE NO ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUING THE POLICY. REASON FOR INTRODUCTION OF POLICY

2. THE REPORT CORRECTLY STATES THAT THE CLOSED CAMPS WERE INTRODUCED IN JULY 1982 AS A POLICY OF HUMANE DETERRENCE' TO DISCOURAGE OTHER VIETNAMESE FROM COMING TO HONG KONG' (PARA 20). THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND HMG FELT THAT SOME KIND OF DETERRENT WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE RATE AT WHICH REFUGEES WERE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG HAD STABILISED CONSIDERABLY SINCE THE INITIAL INFLUX IN 1979, THE RATE AT WHICH REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG

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