TNAG-1425-FCO40-1908-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 208

CONFIDENTIAL

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FROM: P J WESTMACOTT

DATE: 24 April 1985

cc: Sir W Harding Dr Wilson

Mr Galsworthy, HKD Mr Hartland-Swann, SEAD

Mr Lever, UND PS/PUS

121

63

MxK243/2

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: FUTURE POLICY

1.

Mr Luce held an office meeting on 23 April to discuss Mr Galsworthy's attached submissión in the light of the SCORRI Report on Vietnamese Refugees published last week (on which Mr Galsworthy submitted separately to the Secretary of State on 19 April). Mr Luce reached a number of conclusions which he hopes the Secretary of State will feel able to endorse.

Increasing departures

2. Mr Luce agrees that we should give top priority to pursuing with the Home Office the idea of establishing a regular and continuing programme of refugee admissions to the UK from Hong Kong. An annual figure of around 500 is the smallest total likely to prompt the other resettlement countries to increase the numbers of refugees they are themselves taking from Hong Kong. In the first instance, FCO and Home Office officials should examine the prospects for a change in present arrangements along these lines. Thereafter the Secretary of State should follow up with a letter to the Home Secretary, copied to members of OD, setting out the case for a continuing programme, and explaining the consequences if we do not advance in this direction

(including increasing pressure from Hong Kong for involuntary repatriation).

3.

Mr Luce accepts that the Home Office may be reluctant to agree to a continuing programme of 500 admissions each year. But he believes that it is important for the Government to be seen to be reacting positively and quickly to SCORRI, and to discharge its responsibilities to Hong Kong by making every effort to resolve the resettlement issue.

4. In parallel with our discussions with the Home Office, we should talk to the UNHCR in Geneva, to examine the prospects for using progress on our own admissions programme as a means of persuading other countries to take more refugees. Mr Luce believes that there could be some value in mentioning to the UNHCR that there is pressure from Hong Kong for involuntary repatriation as a means of persuading them to put pressure on the other resettlement countries.

CONFIDENTIAL

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