TNAG-1525-FCO40-2089-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 25

CONFIDENTIAL

3.

Το maximise the effect of our decision and Hong

Kung's, we are pressing other resettlement countries to take additional refugees from Hong Kong. It is too early yet to know how many will respond with concrete offers of resettlement places; So far Australia (200 refugees), Canada (50), Finland (70), the Netherlands (80) New Zealand (10) and Sweden (100) have offered specific increases. The

US, which resettles more Indo-Chinese refugees than any other country, is currently accepting refugees at an annual

rate of some 1,800, 200 more than the previous year's

ceiling.

Several other countries (including Belgium,

Denmark, Luxembourg and Greece) are likely to respond

favourably.

FRENCH POSITION

one

4. France has accepted some 1600 Vietnamese refugees from

since 1975, out Hong Kong

of a total intake of 98,700

Indo-Chinese refugees. France's record of resettlement from Hong Kong since 1984 of 155 refugees is

of the

best in Europe (UK resettlement was at a low

in level

1984/85). France's creditable performance reflects its

historical links with Indo-China, and the existence of

in communities

France may

facilitate further resettlement from Hong Kong.

long-established

5.

Indo-Chinese

After a series of exchanges at both Ministerial and official level, the Embassy learned on 7 May that France will accept small numbers of Hong Kong refugees and that the first have already arrived. Those to be resettled will

include both families and refugees who will have

received French language training.

CONFIDENTIAL