TNAG-1425-FCO40-1908-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 262

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treatment of those

returned,

situation in the camp s

for reducing

in

but

that the seriousness of the

Hong Kong obliges us to explore every

the problem.

would be all the

to take refugees for

avenue

(Our defence

if

we

stronger

then doing all were

resettlement in the UK).

we

could

16.

Improved Training Facilities

in this

Any scheme which makes refugees more acceptable to resettlement countries is obviously useful. Much is already being done

respect,

the Hong Kong Government are considering further

refugees

They should

and

to

provide

encouraged

to

pursue

with

this

skills. appropriate question vigorously with

UNHCR.

means

be

This

would fit in well with the SCORRI recommendations.

Presalemandang

18 April 1985

1.

A C Galsworthy

Hong Kong Department

This is an appalling problem. It will not simply go away.

We therefore have to face some hard decisions.

2.

I agree broadly with the Department's recommendations. Although there will doubtless be a difficult argument with the Home Office, the recommendation on increasing the UK intake and then using this to persuade other countries to take more is uncontroversial. The SCORRI Report gives us just the sort of starting point we needed. Also uncontroversial are the recommendations made about improved training and the possible use of the processing centre at Bataan.

3.

Clearly the decision on whether to talk to the Vietnamese about possible involuntary repatriation is much harder. We should anticipate considerable criticism in Parliament and elsewhere if news of such discussions leaked. We must, I think, assume that they would leak. Nevertheless, I think this is now an approach we must attempt. It

/would

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