TNAG-1787-FCO40-2547-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1988 — Page 279

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2 6 JAN 1988

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. "HÒNG KONG: CURRENT STATE OF PLAY

DESK OFFICER

INDE,

PA

RH

Action Taken

1. Vietnamese refugee statistics

1.1.88

1.1.87

00

010

Awaiting Resettlement: 9532

8039

+18

1987

1986

Arrivals

3395

2055

+65

Departures

2212

3816

-42

(Full statistics at Annex I)

Resettlement in UK

2.

156 arrived in 1987.

!

Increasing rate of intake? (20-40?).

-

-

Home Office opposition (Annex II) danger of too many arriving before 2 year period completed (May 1989), leading to vacuum, and pressure to take more.

Refugee Agencies say they can accept 40 per month without stretching facilities.

Hong Kong prefers to see more rapid offtake.

Increasing intake before May 1989/"UK refused cases"

Firm Home Office opposition.

Would need further rounds of ministerial discussion and PM decision most likely to be negative unless situation in

Hong Kong becomes much worse.

Home Office not prepared to fill in gaps within 468 (due to resettlement elsewhere) with refugees other than those who qualify under original 468 criteria. "UK refusals" do not meet these criteria extending criteria will need ministerial approval.

Shortfall in 468 to be filled by close relations of those

on original list of 468.

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