TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 74

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UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 7-17 OCTOBER 1985

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Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong

Line to take

Resettlement

(Paras 1-4 for inclusion in UK's general statement,

and for use on other occasions as appropriate.)

1. Hong Kong has the largest number of boat people awaiting

resettlement (10,500) of any place of first asylum in South East

Asia. 60% have been there over 3 years. It is becoming

increasingly difficult to find resettlement places: serious risk

that situation of refugees in Hong Kong's camps will deteriorate if

resettlement picture does not improve. UK has accepted 19,000

Vietnamese refugees for resettlement, mostly from Hong Kong

2. HMG have just published White Paper in response to Home Affairs

Select Committee's report on Vietnamese Refugees. White Paper

reflects HMG's concern about Hong Kong's refugee problems. It

announces our agreement to accept for resettlement some 500

Vietnamese Refugees who have relatives in the UK but who would not

qualify for admission under Our normal criteria. Almost all of

these will come from camps in Hong Kong; (remainder from camp s

elsewhere in South East Asia).

3. We hope other countries will respond to this initiative by

taking from Hong Kong whatever additional numbers they can manage:

any assistance, however limited, will be welcomed by us and the Hong

Kong Government.

MKK 243/2

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23 SEP 1985

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