TNAG-1523-FCO40-2087-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 173

CONFIDENTIAL

HONGKONG

022028/01

ACTION POL-11 INFO: AMB DCM PAO POL/L POLAD-2 ECON-6 SCI FIN

DAO SUSLO A/COUNS CCA /29

V2

ID0426

PP RUEHLD

DE RUMJNG #2028/01 3520307

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

P 1803022 DEC 85

FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG

the besto My Barton Of

TC RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4616

INFO RUEHID/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRICRITY 6036 RUEHDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1376 RUFFGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3144 RUMTBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 4944

BT

18-DEC-85 TOR: 07:33 CN: 31884 CHRG: STA

DIST: POL

on (received after Tytel to wasingen

had been A despatched) av 24/17/1

CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 3 HONG KONG 22028

DEPARTMENT FOR RP

E.0. 12356: DECL: CADR

TAGS: PREF, HK

SUBJECT: U.S. RESPONSE TO THE UK/HONG KONG REFUGEE INITIATIVE

REF: A) HONG KONG 12843, B) HONG KONG 17741,

& M.. Leaks,

HKK 2443/

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

06 JAN 1986

DESK OFFICER

C) HONG KONG 17775, D) LONDON 27259 NOTAL, E) STATE 381489.

INDEX

REGISTRY!

PA

Action Taken

х

1.

2.

CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEXT.

THE FOLLOWING CABLE SUPPLEMENTS REFTEL E, AND PROVIDES ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON BRITAIN'S REQUEST THAT THE U.S. INCREASE ITS OFFTAKE OF HONG KONG REFUGEES. THIS INFORMATION MAY BE OF USE TO EMBASSY LONDON AND THE DEPARTMENT IN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THIS TOPIC.

3. SUMMARY. WHEN HER MAJESTY ́S GOVERNMENT (HMG) ANNCUNCED IN SEPTEMBER THAT IT WILL TAKE 500 HONG KONG REFUGEES, IT MADE TWO ATTENDANT REQUESTS. THE U.S. WAS ASKED TO A) INCREASE ITS OFFTAKE OF HONG KONG REFUGEES; B) GIVE PRIORITY, WHEN RESETTLING LOCAL REFUGEES, TO THE OPEN CAMP (LONGSTAYING) POPULATION. THE U.S. HAS MORE THAN MIT THE LATTER REQUEST. BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER 1985., WE HAVE TAKEN 680 OPEN CAMP RESIDENTS, OR MCRE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF LONGSTAYERS THE HKG ASKED US TO RESETTLE IN AN ENTIRE YEAR. MOREOVER, OUR CCNTEMPLATED OFFTAKE OF 1,600 LOCAL REFUGEES IN FY 86 WILL LIKELY EXCEED THAT OF ANY OTHER RESETTLEMENT CCUNTRY DURING THE SAME PERIOD. END SUMMARY.

4.

BACKGROUND OF UK/HONG KONG INITIATIVE.

IN SEPTEMBER 1985, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IT WOULD TAKE 500 HONG KONG REFUGEES WHO HAVE CLOSE FAMILY TIES TO BRITAIN. AS PART OF THIS RESETTLEMENT INITIATIVE, HMG, ACTING THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF THE HCG KCNG GOVERNMENT (HKG), THEN MADE TWO REQUEST. U.S. AND CTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIS WERE ASKED TO

THE A)

CONFIDENTIAL

HONGKONG

022028/01