TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 141

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Our reference:

Your reference :

A C Galsworthy Esq CMG

Hong Kong Department

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

LONDON

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Dear Toy.

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: SCORRI REPORT

Lokalte walker.

Helppes:

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237

reply sent to the pa SCORRI av26/9.

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25 September 1985

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Thank you for your letter of 19 September about Hong Kong telegram 1936, which made a number of suggestions about handling the resettlement of the family reunion cases.

I am not sure that presenting the family reunion decision as a monthly (number

number will make a greater impact than it would as a total figure. But, if you feel that to do so would help the diplomatic initiative we would not have any objection in principle.

The rate at which the refugees can be resettled will depend largely upon the efforts of the Hong Kong Government, who will I imagine be keen to process cases quickly, and the resources available to the refugee agencies here. The British Refugee Council has already offered its assistance with a programme of resettlement, and financial provision has been made to meet any reasonable demands that the agencies may make in connection with this work. At this stage there is also some uncertainty about the precise number of refugees in Hong Kong who will meet the conditions outlined in the response to SCORRI: wish to come here, and their relatives' agreement to sponsor them. Given those considerations it seems pretty unlikely that in practice the refugees will arrive at a regular monthly rate of 40 a month. (I assume that you would not wish arrivals to be delayed artificially to give the impression of a monthly quota) However, we would not object to a suitably qualified formula to the effect, for example, that the Government's decision means that we would be taking an average of about 40 a month over the next 12 months.

a

The British Refugee Council has already provided us with details of individual cases and we shall now ask them, and UNHCR, for any further information they have available. We shall pass this on to Hong Kong via your Department. Needless to say, we will be glad to take up their kind offer

MKC 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTKY

27 SEP 1935

DESK OF

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PA