TNAG-1536-FCO40-2100-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 123

GINABU (2)

CONFIDENTIAL

LADY YOUNG'S VISIT TO PARIS, 3 JUNE: LUNCH WITH M. BARIANI

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

ESSENTIAL FACTS

GENERAL

1.

first

8,700 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong awaiting

resettlement; the largest number of any place of asylum in South East Asia. They are spending increasingly

long periods in Hong Kong because of diminishing

prospects: 63% have been there more than 3

resettlement

years.

RECENT ACTION BY HMG

2. The Government announced in September:

(i) that HMG will accept for resettlement some 500 refugees, mostly from Hong Kong, who have

relatives in the UK but who would normally

fall outside the Home Office's criteria for

family reunion cases;

(ii) that, depending on the willingness shown by

countries to respond to

further limited numbers

other resettlement

Hong Kong's needs, HMG are prepared to consider accepting

from Hong

Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government

would also be prepared to absorb limited

numbers from the camps.

(Hong Kong is

absorbing up to 250 more refugees.)

CONFIDENTIAL