TNAG-1537-FCO40-2101-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-third-countri-1986 — Page 4

R'

HKK 243/9

28 OCT 1986

✓

CO Hum Esq

GISTRY

Con Taken

Hong Kong Department FCO

Dear Chnstopher,

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

RESTRICTED

BRITISH EMBASSY

3100 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20008

Telephone: (202) 462-1340

23 September 1986

432

Любовь

& Lathe Reply send

CQ 16/10

سی

""

IPA

Пригад

Pikk2430

16 x

1. Our telno 2251 reported that Shultz would be testifying before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on 11 and 16 September.

2.

The House appearance fell through. But Shultz duly appeared at the Senate on 16 September. I enclose a copy of his prepared statement. The main points of Asian interest are:

i) The global total for admissions in FY1987 remains constant at 70,000. But the numbers for South East Asia fell by 5,000 to 32,000 for the countries of First Asylum, with 8 ,500 for the Vietnamese Orderly Departure Programme

(unchanged from 1986). This fall is in line with the Ray Panel recommendation in favour of shifting the burden towards normal immigration channels;

ii) But Shultz clearly reaffirms the Administration's commitment

to continuing to offer First Asylum for Indo-Chinese refugees. Shultz adds that the 32,000 ceiling will enable the US to process those currently eligible, new arrivals who qualify under the priority categories, and part of the long-stayer case load as part of the wider international initiative. He adds that the US are considering some processing of refugees from among those who have been in camps the longest. This is potentially useful in the Hong Kong context: I shall be asking State how they plan to implement it;

iii) On the Order Departure Programme, Shultz expresses the

hope that this will be allowed to resume. If it does, the US will use some of the unallocated reserve if necessary.

CC:

Dr D Carter, SEAD, FCO

UKmis Geneva

Hong Kong

Bangkok

Hanoi

RESTRICTED

Ye

PF Ricketts

ever

Peter.