TNAG-1423-FCO40-1906-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 104

CONFIDENTIAL

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The people of Hong Kong would be unlikely to welcome Vietnamese immigration while illegal immigrants from China are being

repatriated daily. However, if the flow of Vietnamese arrivals slows to a trickle, it might be reasonable to expect Hong Kong to absorb a proportion of those in centres, if the remainder are

accepted for resettlement or repatriation.

(c) Regional Integration

UNHCR prefer this to more distant resettlement. But Hong Kong's neighbours have refugee problems of their own and would not welcome.

any additional burden.

(d)

Resettlement

in

We should continue to encourage other resettlement countries, both directly and through UNHCR, to take more. But, for the reasons

para 9 above, we shall have difficulty. There are two possible ways

we might act to improve the prospects:

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(i) The UK might take a further quota.

We are on weak ground asking others to take more,

if we

have no intention of doing so ourselves. UNHCR believe

that others expect us to lead. The present SCORRI enquiry into Vietnamese refugees is addressing the question (see

also para 9 above).

(ii) Training schemes

UNHCR consider that resettlement prospects would improve if

refugees acquired basic skills needed to work in industrialised Soies. The Hong Kong Government have

already devoted considerable attention and resources to

providing training opportunities. They seek to provide educational and vocational training, with emphasis on English, in all the government-run refugee centres. The

voluntary agencies run similar programmes in the open

centres. In the Hei Ling Chau closed centre, which is for

North Vietnamese and where as a result the resettlement

rate is lowest and potential immigration problems are

greater, the Hong Kong Government intends with UNHCR assistance to provide a special multi-purpose training

CONFIDENTIAL