TNAG-1632-FCO40-2248-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1987 — Page 58

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VISIT TO HONG KONG BY LORD GLENARTHUR, 16-19 SEPTEMBER

BRIEF NO 10: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

Background

Resettlement

1.

Lord Glenarthur is aware of the general background. Following HMG's decision to accept 468 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong for resettlement in the UK, we have sought to persuade other resettlement countries to step up their own offtake from Hong Kong. But we have received few definite offers thus far of additional

Recent discussions with resettlement places in other countries. UNHCR have identified certain countries where further resettlement lobbying might help. We are exploring all possible means of applying more pressure on resettlement countries: but resistance to resettlement is plainly growing.

2.

Western countries, especially the US, are finding it increasingly difficult to identify refugees in Hong Kony who meet their criteria for resettlement. Some 76% of recent arrivals in

Many are thus Hong Kong from Vietnam have fled North Vietnam. regarded by the main resettlement countries not as genuine refugees but as "economic migrants". It is therefore extremely hard for HMG, Hong Kong and UNHCR to persuade countries to accept them for

resettlement.

UK record

3.

Between

The UK has a good record of accepting Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong for resettlement. Since 1975 we have accepted over 12,800, the 3rd highest figure after the US and Canada. 1982 and 1985 the UK accepted relatively few Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong (474 in 4 years), but in accepting the recommendations of the SCORRI report of April 1985, we took a further 474 family reunion cases in 1986. (SCORRI: Sub Committee on

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