FCOAOR
CONFIDENTIAL
PUS' LUNCH WITH SIR BRIAN CUBBON, PERMANENT SECRETARY AT THE
HOME OFFICE
Points to make
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. Issue of continuing serious concern in Hong Kong. Raised by visiting EXCO delegation with Ministers this week. Particularly difficult issue at the moment: rate of new arrivals in Hong Kong has increased this year after several years' decline, but our present resettlement programme is coming to an end.
2.
This issue - which we all recognise as a very intractable one creates real strain on HMG's relationship with Hong Kong. Hong Kong people would prefer all new Vietnamese arrivals to be repatriated, if necessary forcibly
as are illegal immigrants from China, many of whom have close relatives in Hong Kong. Our Ministers consider that forcible repatriation to Vietnam would be politically unacceptable in current circumstances.
3.
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Only viable alternative is overseas resettlement (Hong Kong is far too crowded to accept more than a small proportion for local settlement). Inevitably both Hong Kong and other "resettlement countries" look to us to take a lead in resettling refugees from Hong Kong as a British dependent territory. We have a moral and political responsibility to do so.
4.
Appreciate difficulties that UK resettlement poses for your Ministers. But in short term very hard to
any alternative to some kind of continuing UK programme, in order to stimulate others also to do more. Real risk of severe political difficulties with Hong Kong if we do not do all we can to help.
CONFIDENTIAL
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