TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 112

J

CONFIDENTIAL

DSR 11C

perhaps fatally,

undermine

our

continuing

diplomatic

efforts.

Through these we

are

both

urging other

countries to do more in resettling refugees from Hong Kong and seeking to join in international discussion on possible longterm ways of tackling the Vietnamese refugee problem.

4.

the

I believe that we should now be ready to fulfil

additional commitment we made to the Home Affairs

Committee's

other

Sub-Committee

on

Race

Relations

and

Immigration (SCORRI) to "consider accepting in addition

to the family reunion cases, further limited numbers of

Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong". Our reply to SCORRI

indicated that such a decision would be taken "in the

light of the willingness shown by other resettlement

countries to respond to Hong Kong's needs and of all the

circumstances at the time". I consider that the

responses of other countries to date and the continuing burden of the camp population upon Hong Kong's resources

warrant our initiating a further and continuing offtake

from Hong Kong under this commitment as soon as our

current "family reunion" offtake from Hong Kong ceases.

While I appreciate that such a decision will not be an

easy one to take, I believe that it is imperative in the

light

of

our continuing

responsibility for Hong Kong.

political and

moral

CONFIDENTIAL