TNAG-1540-FCO40-2104-Further-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-i-1986 — Page 132

OCMIAN 6803

CONFIDENTIAL

PP HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

141530Z AUG

GRS 298

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1755

OF 141530Z AUGUST 86

CONFIDENTIAL

56803 1

w

HKK 243

"

RECEIVE

27 AUG 1986

FOR MORTIMER, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, FROM LAYDEN, HKD

(13

OUR TELNO 1464: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1.

FURTHER TO PARA 1(A) OF TUR, HKD AND HOME OFFICE

OFFICIALS HAVE NOW MET TO CONSIDER POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR A FURTHER

UK OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG.

2.

HOME OFFICE HAVE ADVISED THAT THEY ENVISAGE THEIR SCORRI

UNDERTAKING TO ACCEPT SOME 500 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG AS BEING

COMPLETED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THERE ARE SOME 60 CASES ALREADY QUOTE IN THE PIPELINE UNQUOTE FOR AUGUST, AND HOME OFFICE ARE WRITING TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO ASK THEM TO CEASE PUTTING

HONG KONG CASES FORWARD. HOME OFFICE WILL THEN CONSIDER CASES

PUT FORWARD BY THE AGENCIES UNDER HMG'S SCORRI COMMITMENT TO

ACCEPT 60 OR SO REFUGEES FROM ELSEWHERE IN SE ASIA.

3

WE EXPLORED IN SOME DETAIL WITH THE HOME OFFICE THE

PRESENTATIONAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH THESE ACTIONS WILL CAUSE TO OUR

EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER COUNTRIES TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN

RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR HONG KONG. WE ALSO BRIEFED THEM ON THE RECENT DETERIORATION IN THE OVERALL REFUGEE POSITION IN HONG

KONG. IT IS CLEAR THAT HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS DO NOT ENVISAGE

THAT ANY DECISION WILL BE POSSIBLE ON A FURTHER UK OFFTAKE BEFORE

1

CONFIDENTIAL

(চ)