TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 144

ESSENTIAL FACTS

CONFIDENTIAL

1.

Hong Kong has largest number of Vietnamese awaiting

resettlement of

of any place of first asylum in South East Asia.

Because of decline in resettlement places, 60% have been

there over 3 years.

I t

2. The Government published a White Paper on 26 September in

the Home Affairs Committee's report "Refugees and

Asylum with Special Reference to the Vietnamese".

announced inter alia:

response

(i)

HMG's decision to accept for resettlement $ ome 500

refugees, mostly from Hong Kong, who have relatives in

the UK but who would normally fall outside the Home

Office's immigration criteria for family reunion

cases.

(ii)

shown by other

that, depending on the willingness

resettlement countries to respond to Hong Kong's

needs, HMG are prepared to consider accepting further

limited numbers from Hong Kong. The Hong Kong

Government would similarly be prepared to absorb

limited numbers into Hong Kong from the

again this will depend on other countries'

the UK's initiative.

>

but

camp s

response to

3.

we are

In order to maximise the effect of this decision, conducting a major diplomatic campaign to persuade other

countries also to tak e additional numbers of refugees from Hong Kong. We have instructed posts in a wide range of

countries (the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, EC

and other European countries), to approach their host

immediately after the White Paper is published.

governments

We wish to reinforce these approaches by raising the subject at bilateral and multilateral meetings whenever opportunities arise in the coming weeks. It would be very helpful if Mr

Rifkind could do so at the lunch on 1 October. We have also

recommended that the Secretary of State and the PUS raise the

CONFIDENTIAL