TNAG-1421-FCO40-1904-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 71

FROM THE AMBASSADOR

Governor Robert D Ray Chairman

Indo-Chinese Refugee Panel c/o Department of State

Anna-

pr

buw. five (Ind. Repgees

Mr Komersall

Thank you.

Delo hm. Governor,

Q&A 30

BRITISH EMBASSY,

WASHINGTON, D. C.

TELEPHONE: (202) 462-1340

29 October 1985

WHKD FLO

proom spor. hongking

SEAD, FIO

UND, FO. сталган

371

(for Dorward,

with 1144

May I first of all congratulate you and the other members of the Indo-Chinese Refugee Panel on your appointment to your important

task.

The British Government is very much concerned with the problems of Indo-Chinese refugees, both as the country of resettlement for 19,000 Vietnamese boat-people, and because of our responsibility for Hong Kong, which has played a major role as a country both of first asylum and of resettlement.

I understand that you will not be visiting Hong Kong during your first visit to South East Asia next month. I would like therefore to draw your attention briefly to the specific problems of Hong Kong, which form a significant part of the overall refugee picture in South East Asia.

Hong Kong has a chronic refugee population of over 10,000 Vietnamese refugees, many of whom have been in closed camps for a number of years. As resettlement places around the world have diminished, the problems of coping with these relatively large numbers have become progressively more difficult for the Hong Kong Government, whose humanitarian record as a country of first asylum is second to none.

Last April, the House of Commons Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration recommended that the British Government should take the initiative in trying to alleviate Hong Kong's problems by accepting an additional number of refugees into the United Kingdom, and by encouraging other governments of traditional resettlement countries to participate in a collective effort substantially to reduce Hong Kong's long-term refugee population. On 26 September, Her Majesty's Government announced that it would accept for resettlement a further 500+ Vietnamese refugees with family connections to the UK as a first step towards establishing this international effort. We further announced our willingness to accept additional numbers of refugees from Hong Kong if other resettlement countries responded in a major way.

The Hong Kong

/Government

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