CONFIDENTIAL
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INFORMATION THEY SEE NO NEED TO REVIEW THEIR ODP CRITERIA AT
PRESENT, BUT MIGHT FIND IT NECESSARY TO DO SO IF THERE WERE A
SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE NUMBERS BEING GRANTED EXIT VISAS.
4. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO
CREATE DIFFICULTIES FOR ODP EXIT VISA APPLICANTS WHO ARE
RELATIVES OF REFUGEES WHO LEFT VIETNAM AS BOAT PEOPLE, IE
'ILLEGALLY' IN VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT EYES: SIMILARLY, FOR THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN IN 'RE-EDUCATION' CAMPS, OR THEIR RELATIVES. WE
HAVE POINTED OUT TO THE VIETNAMESE, EG AT LAST YEAR'S UNHCR
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE ODP, A
HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME, SHOULD BE OPEN TO THESE CATEGORIES.
IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF THE FAC TEAM COULD MAKE THIS POINT TO THE
VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES.
5. WHILE INDICATING THAT WE WISH TO CONTINUE TO FULFILL OUR
INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT, YOU SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOT HOWEVER GIVE
THE IMPRESSION THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION TO INCREASE OUR RATE OF
INTAKE UNDER THE ODP. THE REFUGEE AGENCIES IN THE UK HAVE NOTED
AN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF ODP ARRIVALS DURING THE FIRST THREE
MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, AND ARE ANXIOUS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE
SWAMPED WITH ODP CASES.
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WE SHARE THIS CONCERN. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, THIS IS
BECAUSE, IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SCORRI
REPORT, WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON ACCEPTING THE 500 OR SO REFUGEES
FROM HONG KONG, WHO HAVE BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY INTO THE UK
AS A RESULT OF THE RELAXATION OF FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA BY THE
HOME OFFICE. WE ARE KEEN TO ENSURE THAT ANY INCREASE IN THE RATE
OF ODP ARRIVALS DOES NOT RESULT IN A DELAY IN THE UK INTAKE
FROM HONG KONG, WHICH COULD IN TURN DAMPEN THE 'MULTIPLIER EFFECT'
OF OUR SCORRI INITIATIVE. THE HOME OFFICE POINT OUT ALSO THAT
THERE ARE STRONG DOMESTIC POLITICAL REASONS FOR KEEPING THE FLOW
OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES INTO THIS COUNTRY AT A MANAGEABLE LEVEL.
HOWE LIMITED
SEAD
COPIES TO:
MR SELLER, ODA
MISS HEBDON, HOME OFFICE,
HKD
UND
MR WILSON
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