TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 44

[NR74CWT

CONFIDENTIA

UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 7-17 OCTOBER 1985

BRIEF NO. 5

Vietnamese Refugees in Hong Kong

-

Put (SCORRI

HKD

75)

سے

Line to take (Paras 1-4 for inclusion in UK's general

s general statement,

and for use on other occasions as appropriate.)

Resettlement

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,

19,000

Vietnamese refugees for resettlement, mostly from Hong Kong

It

2. HMG have just published White Paper in response

in response to Home Affairs

Select Committee's report on Vietnamese Refugees. White Paper reflects HMG's concern about Hong Kong's refugee problems. 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 normai

our normal criteria. Almost all of

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

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 243622

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