TNAG-1427-FCO40-1910-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1986 — Page 168

Mr Leeks UND

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: BATAAN PROCESSING FACILITY

RC

I telephoned the Home Office (Voluntary Services Unit) to ask them about their response to my letter of 15 April.

1.

2.

Mrs Lee told me that in the context of the 500 or so family reunion cases it was very unlikely that the facility would be used. She mentioned that the idea of being sent to Bataan was "very unpopular" in the Hong Kong camps. Mrs Lee also said that there was a problem of financing: any money spent in Bataan would mean cuts in programmes here. The voluntary agencies had suf- ficient facilities in this country to deal with the needs of family reunion cases.

3.

In the case of other categories of refugee, eg the hard

to resettle, there was just a possibility that the Home Office might consider using the facility. In discussing the implementation of the SCORRI report recommendations, the Manpower Services Commission would be looking at the possibility of using Bataan.

CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd. 7/84

25 September 1985

CC:

Chancery Manila

S T Nash

South East Asian Department

Chancery Washington

CT Wood Esq, Hong Kong Government Secretariat

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27 SEP 1985

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