TNAG-1524-FCO40-2088-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 113

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PROBLEM OF 'HARD TO RESETTLE' REFUGEES IN THE REGION. YOU SHOULD

ALSO POINT OUT THAT NO PUBLICITY WILL BE INITIATED BY HKG

(ALTHOUGH IT WILL OF COURSE BECOME PUBLIC) IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE

THE RISK OF DRAWING MORE REFUGEES OUT OF VIETNAM TO HONG KONG.

3.

ON THE RASRO TRANSIT CENTRE YOU SHOULD SAY THAT HONG

KONG'S AGREEMENT TO ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN HONG KONG REPRESENTS AN

EFFORT TO EASE THE PROBLEMS FACED BY RASRO PARTICIPANTS IN

RESETTLING SHIP RESCUE CASES WITHIN THE 90-DAY PERIOD DEADLINE.

HONG KONG HAS AGREED TO ESTABLISH THE CENTRE DESPITE THE FACT

THAT BY DOING SO IT WILL, OF COURSE, HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE

REFUGEES THAN AT PRESENT.

4.

YOU SHOULD REITERATE OUR AND HONG KONG'S GRATITUDE TO THE

JAPANESE FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION SO FAR TOWARDS RESOLVING HONG

KONG'S REFUGEE PROBLEM. WE HOPE THAT HONG KONG'S DECISION TO

RESETTLE A SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM THE

CAMPS WILL ENCOURAGE THE JAPANESE TO GIVE FAVOURABLE

CONSIDERATION TO INCREASING THEIR OFFTAKE FURTHER. JAPAN

ACCEPTED 25 REFUGEES AS A RESULT OF THEIR MISSION TO HONG KONG IN

EARLY 1985: WE HOPE THE 25 WILL SOON LEAVE FOR JAPAN. WE HOPE THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE MISSION TO HONG KONG AT THE END OF 1985, JAPAN WILL FEEL ABLE TO TAKE MORE REFUGEES IN RESPONSE TO HONG

KONG'S INCREASED RESETTLEMENT, AND WILL SEND A FURTHER MISSION TO

HONG KONG SOON.

5.

(A)

(B)

(C)

THE FOLLOWING ARE DEFENSIVE POINTS:

ARRIVALS IN UK IN THE POST-SCORRI EXERCISE: 78 AS AT

END-JANUARY, THEREAFTER 40 MONTHLY EXPECTED. POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER UK OFFTAKE: TOO EARLY TO SAY. HMG

WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO ACCEPT A FURTHER LIMITED NUMBER OF

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, IN ADDITION TO THE

FAMILY REUNION CASES, IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE BY OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND OF

ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME.

RECENT FALL IN POPULATION OF HONG KONG REFUGEE CAMPS:

ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG FELL BY 2449 DURING 1985 WE AND HONG KONG REMAIN

SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIZE OF HONG KONG'S REFUGEE

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