TNAG-1425-FCO40-1908-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 13

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Oral Answers

22 MAY 1985

years Hong Kong has taken no fewer than 100,000 refugees in transit. Hong Kong has absorbed 14,000 refugees and Britain has taken nearly 20,000. That, too, should be acknowledged. We are doing our utmost to ease the problem and we shall be responding to the Sub- Committee shortly.

Sir Peter Blaker: Does my hon. Friend agree that the Hong Kong Government have acted most commendably in their acceptance of refugees from Vietnam? Will he confirm that the only reason for having closed camps is the fear that their abolition would lead to an even greater influx of Vietnamese refugees? In responding to the Sub- Committee, will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if this country accepted a small number of Vietnamese refugees other countries could probably be persuaded to take many more?

Mr. Luce: I note my right hon. Friend's last point, and we are considering urgently our reply to the Select Committee. The Hong Kong Government should be praised for looking after the refugees for over 10 years. It is very important to note that since the introduction of the closed camps in Hong Kong in July 1982 there has been a substantial decline, compared with the rest of the region, in the rate of arrivals of Vietnamese refugees.

Mr. Tom Clarke: Does the Minister of State agree that it is somewhat indulgent for those involved to congratulate themselves upon the 1997 agreement when this great humanitarian problem, which is a challenge both to this country and to other civilised nations, remains unresolved?

Mr. Luce: I must tell the hon. Gentleman, if he did not hear me say it in a recent Adjournment debate, that we are treating this matter with the utmost urgency. We wish this problem to be resolved and the closed camps to be ended as soon as possible, but this has to be balanced against the very real problems with which the Hong Kong Government have to grapple in terms of numbers of arrivals.

Mr. Sims: Will my hon. Friend accept that the free world as a whole has an obligation both to the Hong Kong Government, which is carrying the burden in the way that he described, and to the refugees-not only to those in the closed camps but to some of those who are in what are described as transit centres where they have been living for several years? Is there not a very real obligation upon us to try to help and is it not true that other nations are looking to britain toc a lead in order to solve this international problem?

Mr. Luce: I acknowledge my hon. Friend's point, and I commented on these matters in my evidence to the Select Committee. But the House should not lose sight of the cause of this problem. Because of the gross abuse of human rights in Vietnam there have been more than 1 million refugees from there during the last 10 years. If only Vietnam would start to respect human rights, we might not have this problem.

Mr. George Robertson: Is the Minister of State aware that the Hong Kong Government deserves great credit for their humanitarian attitude towards the very large numbers of Vietnamese refugees with whom they have had to deal, but that it is intolerable that thousands of people who are partly our responsibility should still be incarcerated in what are effectively prison camps? Since very few of the

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refugeess who are now in those camps will be relocat unless the British Government take a lead, urgent acti should be taken by the Government that will encoura other Governments to follow our lead. The Governme have been warned during the past 18 months-lo before the Select Committee took evidence-about th problem.

Mr. Luce: We have been generous to the Vietnames During the last five or six years nearly 20,000 Vietname refugees, which is a quite substantial number, have be taken into this country. Of course, the hon. Gentleman right when he says that this country, in addition to Hor Kong, has a responsibility towards these people, and v are treating it as a matter of urgency.

Lebanon (Christian Community)

6. Mr. Foster asked the Secretary of State for Foreig and Commonwealth Affairs what contact he has had wi the Syrian and Lebanese Governments concerning t plight of the Christian community in the Lebanon.

Mr. Richard Luce: We deplore the continuir violence in different areas of Lebanon. Her Majesty embassies have been in touch with leaders of the Lebane: communities and the Lebanese, Syrian and Israe Governments to express our concern about the rece: fighting in the Sidon-Jezzine area between Moslem ar Christian groups.

Mr. Foster: Will the Minister of State confirm that is the Syrian-backed Druze, Shi'ite and Palestinia militias who have been responsible for the attacks upc Christian communities in the Lebanon? What is beir done to aid the 50,000 Christian refugees?

Mr. Luce: It is a matter of the greatest urgency that th various communities in the Lebanon-both Christiar and Moslems of all confessions-should find a way live with each other again, otherwise, there will t continuing casualties and abuses of human rights.

Mr. Temple-Morris: Will my hon. Friend agree th the Christian community in the Lebanon is, sadly, responsible as any other for the situation in the Lebano today? Will he further agree that if the Lebanese factior do not think very soon about the Lebanon they will hav no country to think about?

Mr. Luce: I do not think that it would be proper fo me to apportion blame between communities for th present condition in the Lebanon, save to say that it : extremely serious and that if the Lebanon is to survive which is in both the national interest and the interests ‹ this country, it is essential for those communities t reconcile their differences.

Papua New Guinea

7. Sir William van Straubenzee asked the Secretar of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whethe he will make a statement on his talks with the Foreig Minister of Papua New Guinea on 24 to 25 April.

Sir Geoffrey Howe: On 24 April I held talks with th Foreign Minister on Papua New Guinea. Mr. Giheno an I were also present at the meeting between my right hor Friend the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Papu New Guinea. The subjects covered included matters o concern in the south Pacific and East-West relations.