TNAG-1523-FCO40-2087-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 176

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INCREASE CUR FY 86 OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG, ASSUMING WE WANTED TO DC SC.

IIKEIY HKG REACTION TO THE U.S. DECISION.

WE EXPICT THE HKG WILL BE MILDLY DISAPPOINTED BY OUR FAILURE TO ANNOUNCE AN INCREASE IN OUR OFFTAKE OF REFUGEES IN RESPONSE TO THE UK/HONG KONG INITIATIVE. THE HKG HOPED FOR A TOKEN U.S. INCREASE, WHICH WOULD HAVE HELPED HONG KONG SECURE A FIRM BRITISH COMMITMENT TC RESETTLE MORE LOCAL REFUGEES. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE HKG WILL BE PLEASED WHEN IT LEARNS THAT THE U.S. CONTEMPLATES TAKING 1600 REFUGEES IN FY 86, A FIGURE THAT WILL LIKELY EXCEED THE OFFTAKE OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY FROM HONG KONG DURING THE SAME PERIOD. IN RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HKG, POST MADE MORE GUARDED ESTIMATES OF ABOUT 1400 DEPARTURES (POST WILL NOT COMMUNICATE THE DEPARTMENT'S CONTEMPLATED FIGURE FOR HONG KONG UNTIL WE ARE AUTHORIZED TO DO SO). MOREOVER, THE EKG HAS ALREADY THANKED US INFORMALLY FOR OUR CURRENT RESETTLEMENT OF LONGSTAYING REFUGEES. BY THIS EFFCRI AIONE, THE U.S. HAS MADE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO A KEY OBJECTIVE OF THE UK/HONG KONG INITIATIVE.

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