TNAG-1537-FCO40-2101-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 210

.)

PAYB ав

CONFIDENTIAL

Schate cr197

[VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: RESETTLEMENT AND REPATRIATION]

33. We need to initiate discussions with the Home Office

on the issues involved as soon as possible. My draft

letter to the Home Office proposes that officials meet

If, as

is likely, Home Office officials respond

negatively, an approach at Ministerial level will be

in the end have no option but to take a

a new UK offtake to H Committee.

soon.

needed. We may

proposal for a

34.

In the light of our exchanges with the Home Office at

official level I will submit to Ministers as early as possible any recommendations for further action.

118

RECEIV

HKK 243/9

3 1 JUL 1986

DESK TEHAM

INDEX

PA

стък

8 July 1986

CO Hum

Hong Kong Department

1. I fear this submission is very lengthy. It boils down

to the fact that:

2.

i) the refugee inflow to Hong Kong will not simply cease: indeed it shows signs of growing;

ii)

resettlement has had a temporary boost as a

result of our own (small) increase and the

diplomatic effort we were able to mount on the back

of it; but "compassion fatigue" will get worse.

There are already signs that American resettlement

from Hong Kong next year will be considerably less

than for the current period.

There are no easy options. Somehow we must find ways

of stemming the outflow from Vietnam. Involuntary repatriation

is highly unattractive (and was considered by Ministers last

year to be politically unacceptable). But we must, I think, get together now with other countries to see whether a

distinction can be made between genuine refugees and economic

migrants. We shall then have to seek ways of either ensuring

that the latter group do not leave Vietnam or that they are

and UwHER sto

/t

/sent

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