TNAG-1591-FCO40-2176-Appointment-of-Sir-David-Wilson-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 100

B

Resettlement

CONFIDENTIAL

Some 12,750 Vietnamese refugees have been resettled

in the United Kingdom from Hong Kong. In 1986 we resettled

470 refugees from Hong Kong, with relatives in the UK but

who fell outside our usual "family reunion" criteria, Το

maximise the effect of this programme we pressed other

countries to accept more refugees from Hong Kong: this

produced some 1,200 more resettlements. Hong Kong is

"long stayers" from the camps.

in principle to a further UK

We

itself absorbing up to 250

The Home Office has agreed

intake from Hong Kong of at least 470 more refugees,

are continuing to work out the details before a submission

is made to H Committee.

It is planned that the

Government's decision will be communicated in a letter from

the Prime Minister to Miss Lydia Dunn, the Senior Member of

LegCo, in reply to a circular letter sent to all MPs.

Repatriation

The only long-term alternative to resettlement of

Vietnamese refugees appears to be an international approach

to Vietnam seeking agreement to the return to Vietnam or

those considered to have left for economic rather than

political reasons ("economic migrants"). Although this

would discourage further

further departures and would reduce the

need for resettlement, it would raise serious difficulties

because:

(a)

Vietnam has given no indication of being willing to accept their return.

(b)

Any repatriation programme would be likely to

provoke public criticism unless there were acceptable

assurances that those returned were not treated harshly.

(c)

Those to be returned would have to be selected by a

"screening" process which would need to be seen to be fair.

CONFIDENTIAL