TNAG-1801-FCO40-2561-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 117

CONFIDENTIAL

(The shortfall has emerged for a number of reasons;

some have been

resettled elsewhere, some do not meet the criteria). We welcome

this offer, but the Home Secretary proposes also that the Secretary of State join him in resisting any attempts to extend the numerical

limit over 468. We need to decide how to respond.

A.

a)

Arguments for pressing for an additional commitment now

The refugee situation in Hong Kong has deteriorated since our

commitment was made in May 1987. Only a further commitment would

represent a response commensurate with the scale of the problem.

b) Some governments (the USA in explicit terms) have indicated

that they will do more if (and only if) we acknowledge our direct

responsibility for Hong Kong and show the way.

c)

If the situation continues to deteriorate the calls for action

by the Hong Kong Government will increase. They may lead to Hong

Kong threatening to abandon the first asylum policy or to introduce

an even stricter regime for arrivals. We would be badly placed to

respond to such threats.

a)

In Hong Kong/UK terms, our attitude to the Vietnamese refugees

is viewed as a touch-stone of British commitment to Hong Kong.

e)

Vietnamese

Lord Glenarthur plans to visit Hong Kong in June.

refugees have been a major, contentious issue on each of

Lord Glenarthur's two previous visits. It would improve the

atmosphere if a new initiative could be announced in June.

5.

Possible forms of additional commitment

The Hong

a) extension of the May 1987 scheme beyond 468 places.

Kong Government have indicated that an additional 269 refugees currently in the camps meet the original family reunion criteria,

of whom 226 actually arrived on or before the present cut-off point

of 22 October 1986. Taking into account the 70 "vacancies" in the

468 commitment, this would involve an additional commitment of about

200.

CONFIDENTITAT