TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 230

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DD HONG KONG 17010OZ

GRS 529

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 170100Z

FM FCO 16143OZ AUGUST 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1167 OF 16 AUGUST

OUR TEL NO 1041: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT

1.

2675

-

1

11. Ook to COD

to

copy this tel. to akhi's Geneva.

(Priarity).

ripp.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE HOME SECRETARY MET ON 1 AUGUST

AND THE HOME SECRETARY AGREED. THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE FAMILY REUNION CASES, HE WILL CONSIDER ACCEPTING FURTHER LIMITED NUMBERS OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, WITHOUT A COMMITMENT TO A SPECIFIC

FIGURE UNTIL RESPONSES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ARE KNOWN. THE HOME

OFFICE HAVE NOW PROPOSED TO RESPOND TO SCORRI RECOMMENDATON

5(III) IN THE WHITE PAPER AS FOLLOWS: 'HAVING REGARD TO THE

COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT IF NECESSARY AND AS PART OF A

BURDEN SHARING AGREEMENT BRITAIN SHOULD ACCEPT A SMALL SHARE OF

THOSE WHO ARE HARD TO RESETTLE AND HAVE SPENT YEARS IN CAMPS, THE

GOVERNMENT ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING, IN ADDITION TO THE

FAMILY REUNION CASES, FURTHER LIMITED NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE

REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. A DECISION ON THIS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE

LIGHT OF THE WILLINGNESS SHOWN BY OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO

RESPOND TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE

TIME.' THIS IS NOT AS FIRM (OR CONTINUING) A COMMITMENT AS WE

SHOULD HAVE LIKED. HOWEVER IT REPRESENTS AN ADVANCE ON THE HOME

OFFICE'S PREVIOUS POSITION WHICH WAS ONLY TO ACCEPT THE FAMILY

REUNION CASES AND, GIVEN THE LENGTH OF TIME IT HAS TAKEN TO

NEGOTIATE EVEN THIS IMPROVEMENT, WE THINK AT OFFICIAL LEVEL THAT

IT IS PROBABLY THE BEST WE WILL GET. IT WILL BE PUT TO FCO

MINISTERS ON THEIR RETURN FROM LEAVE ON 23 AUGUST.

2.

THE HOME OFFICE AIM TO PUBLISH THE WHITE PAPER RESPONSE TO

SCORRI IN MID-SEPTEMBER (THOUGH TIMING MAY WELL SLIP SLIGHTLY).

WE SHOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE IT PUBLISHED BEFORE THE UNHCR

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETS IN THE SECOND WEEK OF OCTOBER. WE ARE

THEREFORE UNDER PRESSURE TO PROVIDE OUR CONTRIBUTIONS VERY SOON,

TO ALLOW TIME FOR CLEARANCE WITH HOME OFFICE MINISTERS AND

HKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

}

19 AUG 1985

EGISTRY

Action Taken

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