TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 78

GRS 900

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

TO DESKBY 20093OZ FCO

TELNO 1961

MICIC 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGIS, KY

2 0 SEP 1985

TOP COPY

OF 20064OZ SEPTEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

€

186)

G8

YOUR TELNOS 1361, 1362 AND 1363: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES SCORRI REPORT

THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SEE YOUR DRAFT GUIDANCE TELEGRAM AND TELEGRAM TO WASHINGTON. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS:

(A) ON TELNO 1362:

PARAGRAPH 9: THE DECREASE IN ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG WAS 39 PER CENT COMPARED TO 11 PER CENT IN THE REGION.

PARAGRAPH 10, THIRD SENTENCE: WE SUGGEST IT RECOMMENDS INTER ALIA THAT UK SHOULD RELAX ITS IMMIGRATION CRITERIA FOR FAMILY REUNION CASES IN CAMPS IN COUNTRIES OF TEMPORARY ASYLUM: THAT CLOSED CAMPS IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE ABOLISHED: THAT A UK INITIATIVE SHOULD BE USED TO ATTRACT OFFERS OF ADDITIONAL RESETTLEMENT PLACES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES: THAT IF NECESSARY, AND AS PART OF A BURDEN- SHARING AGREEMENT, UK SHOULD ACCEPT A SMALL SHARE OF THOSE WHO ARE HARD TO SETTLE AND HAVE SPENT YEARS IN CAMPS: AND THAT HONG KONG SHOULD ACCEPT FOR SETTLEMENT A PROPORTION OF ETHNIC CHINESE FROM ITS

OPEN CAMPS''.

PARAGRAPH 12, FIRST SENTENCE: (88 IN 1984, OF WHOM 27 WERE SHIP RESCUE CASE: 5 SO FAR THIS YEAR, WITH NO SHIP RESCUE CASES).

1

PARAGRAPH 12, ADDITIONAL SENTENCE: HONG KONG WILL ALSO LOBBY AT THE EXCOM MEETING AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICES OVERSEAS WILL

PURSUE THIS MATTER VIGOROUSLY.'

1

(B) ON TELNO 1363:

POINT (111): WE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN FROM YOUR TEL (AND FROM THE DRAFT OF THE WHITE PAPER WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED) THAT YOU ARE NOW QUOTING A FIGURE OF 420 AS THE NUMBER OF FAMILY REUNION CASES AT PRESENT IN HONG KONG. WE HAVE BEEN ASSUMING FROM OUR RECORDS THAT THE FIGURE WOULD BE CLOSE TO 500 (THE PRESENT POSITION IS THAT UNHCR HONG KONG HAVE SUBMITTED 490 SUCH CASES TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT). IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE USE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE FIGURES IN OUR APPEALS TO THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND OUR INTENTION WAS TO TALK IN TERMS OF QUOTE AROUND 500 UNQUOTE. GIVEN THE LACK OF A SPECIFIC RESPONSE IN RESPECT OF THE QUOTE HARD-TO- SETTLE UNQUOTE REFUGEES (PARAGRAPH 1B OF OUR TELNO 1034 OF 30 MAY), IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO EXCO THAT THE UK'S EFFORT IS NEARER 500 RATHER THAN 400. WE DO NOT (NOT) KNOW THE

CONFIDENTIAL

'SOURCE

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