TNAG-1525-FCO40-2089-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 28

A

JA2ANL

CONFIDENTIAL

нии гиз HAN 243/1 *

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

-

- 8 MAY 1986

FROM:

CO Hum

OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

DATE:

7 May 1986

Dr Wilson

cc Mr Masefield, FED

Mr Adams, SEAD

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG:

Problem

210 File

RESETTLEMENT IN JAPAN

1.

The Japanese are accepting very few Vietnamese refugees in the Hong Kong camps for resettlement in Japan, despite their professed wish to help.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that you speak to a Minister at the

Ambassador's absence

16

in

the

(until

the

Japanese Embassy, May), to convey our dissatisfaction with Japanese performance

to urge the Japanese to resettle a

substantially larger number of refugees in future.

concur.

and

FED

Background

3.

As the attached table shows, refugees from Hong Kong camps formed almost 20% of the total number of Vietnamese refugees accepted by Japan prior to 1982. However since 1982 this proportion has never exceeded 8.1%. One reason

for this

be may

the priority accorded tọ

in refugees

Thailand (see para 9 below). We believe, however, that a major factor is the zealous application of vaguely-drafted rules so as to disqualify most applicants.

CONFIDENTIAL