TNAG-1425-FCO40-1908-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 253

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resettlement.

iii)

A UNHCR official told a visiting Hong Kong official in May 1984 that in the absence of a "political" gesture by the UK, no one

else would make such a gesture for a British colony, whereas they would (for political reasons) for ASEAN countries.

2.

We have countered these criticisms by pointing out that the UK has by no means neglected its responsibilities in this respect: it has already accepted over 18,500 Vietnamese refugees, mostly from

Hong Kong. When added to the 14,000 who have been resettled

in Hong

Kong itself, this represents a substantial contribution towards the

international resettlement effort.

3.

There is по guarantee that resettlement countries would

commit themselves to take larger numbers of Vietnamese refugees from

Hong Kong in the event that an additional significant number were

statements reported above suggest that the

admitted to Britain. The

effect of the UK accepting

a further quota might indeed be to

encourage other countries to increase their off-take from Hong Kong.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

23 OCTOBER 1984