TNAG-1542-FCO40-2106-United-Nations-High-Commissioner-for-Refugees-(UNHCR)-Execut-1986 — Page 368

DOGAGO

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 243/12

UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EXCOM): GENEVA 6-13 OCTOBER

BRIEF NO 6(h)

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

Points to Make

Resettlement

1.

years, a much higher

to

find

Hong Kong has the largest number of Vietnamese boat people awaiting resettlement (8,500) of any place of first

asylum in South East Asia. 64% have been there over 3

proportion of long stayers than

anywhere else in the region. It is difficult

resettlement places: serious risk that situation of

refugees in Hong Kong's camps will deteriorate if

resettlement picture does not improve. UK has accepted nearly 20,000 Vietnamese refugees for resettlement, mostly from Hong Kong, including over 400 in the past year.

2. Just before the last ExCom HMG published a White Paper

in response to report on Vietnamese refugees by Home

Affairs Committee's Sub-Committee on Race Relations and

Immigration (SCORRI). White Paper reflected HMG' S concern

about Hong Kong's refugee problems. It announced our

agreement to accept for resettlement some 500 Vietnamese refugees who

who have relatives in the UK but who would not

qualify for admission under our normal criteria. Over 400

have been resettled in UK,

almost all from camps in Hong

Kong; (remainder from camps elsewhere in South East Asia).

3.

We have encouraged other countries to respond to this

initiative by themselves taking additional numbers from

Hong Kong. Many countries have responded positively,

including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finalnd,

France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway

and Sweden. We and Hong Kong are grateful to all these

CONFIDENTIAL