TNAG-1786-FCO40-2546-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-closed-camp-policy-1988 — Page 230

You raise three other points in your letter;

resettlement in the UK; repatriation to Vietnam of those who do not meet the criteria of refugees; and aid to

Vietnam.

First, resettlement. I note what your report says

It is understandable about our resettlement efforts.

is a

that people in Hong Kong would like us to do more. However, I believe that our resettlement record since

1975 almost 13,000 refugees from Hong Kong

creditable one. At present we are taking some 20

In addition we are refugees from Hong Kong per month. taking an increasing number of refugees from Vietnam

All this puts

under the Orderly Departure Programme.

conisderable demands on our local resources and I regret

that I see no scope under present circumstances for any

increase in the speed of resettlement.

Your report

rightly brings out the enormous difficulties involved in resettlement of Vietnamese people in Britain: it must therefore be right to proceed in accordance with our

ability to absorb these new arrivals.

In addition, as

you know, we are persisting in our efforts to persuade other resettlement countries which do not perhaps face the same immigration pressures as we do to do more to

help. We will continue to take every opportunity to

press the case for resettlement as energetically as we

can.

Secondly, repatriation.

At the time of his

announcement in May 1987, the Home Secretary referred to

C