TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 239

[ TG1AEL]

Mr Ehrman

I agree

Love

729/?

Mr Galsworthy

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference.......

HKK 243/2

(37)

RA

Tel

010

31/1

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:

RESETTLEMENT FROM OPEN CENTRES

We spoke briefly last Friday about the attached telegram from Hong Kong. The re is some background which needs to be added before we consider further.

A 1.

2.

Briefly, there are now only 2 open camp s left in

the

Hong Kong: Kai Tak (for north Vietnamese, mostly of Chinese race) and Jubilee (for south Vietnamese). All have of course been there for at least 3 years. Kai Tak is far frome luxurious, but Jubilee is frankly a dump: so much so that present management, provided by the voluntary agency Caritas, have given UNHCR notice that they will withdraw in a few months because the building (2 four-storey blocks) unmanageable.

3.

to

is

For these and other reasons Hong Kong are under pressure combine both groups of refugees i- Kai Tak, on the basis that if the total number is low enough, the north-south antagonism will be manageable. Hong Kong have decided to endorse this approach, partly in order to speed up resettlement from the old open camps. They have set a target open camp population of 3,400 before they will combine the camps.

4.

>

This target will require the resettlement of 1,200 refugees. UNHCR and Hong Kong Government, at the former's quarterly "resettlement" meeting with the consular corps have asked US, Canada

and Australia to take 200 each, and other countries 50 each. This leaves the question of how many, if any, HMG will take.

5.

Hong Kong clearly realise the difficulties this approach causes for us at this time. The timing is such that I do not think we can pursue this with the Home Office until the outcome of the Secretary of State's approach on the need for a continuing commitment is known. I suggest that this specific approach be one of the fallback positions we have identified B (para 4 of PS/Mr Luce's minute attached). I suggest that it should come below the idea of а commitment contingent upon others,

but above a commitment merely to review

in a year's time. Our specific argument in support of it as a negotiating position would be recommendation 5 (iii) of the SCORRI report C (attached).

A t the worst, if the Home Office" hold" on the family reunion cases and no more, we may hope that a few of these will Come from Jubilee (but from my recollection of the background of the SCORRI cases, only a handful, I fear).

6.

CODE 18-77

AWO Ltd. 7/84

CONFIDENTIAL

нкк. 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

26 JUL 1985

CE