CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY KATHMANDU
TELNO 95
OF 01160OZ MARCH
88
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/12
Qi
TOP Q DIST ?
COPY
144306 MDLOAN 4144
FOLLOWING FOR PS/LORD STENARTHUR
HONG KONG TELNO 850: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: UK RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME
1.
WE WERE NOT REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING BETWEEN HOME OFFICE AND UNHCR OFFICIALS ON 29 FEBRUARY, BUT WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED AN ACCOUNT OF IT. THE MEETING HAD BEEN ARRANGED TO ENABLE UNHCR TO PUT THEIR CASE FOR MAKING UP RESETTLEMENT NUMBERS TO THE ORIGINAL FIGURE OF 468. UNHCR CONCENTRATED ON THE MAIN ARGUMENT, WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL ABOUT THE CATEGORIES OF REFUGEE WHO MIGHT MAKE
UP THE SHORTFALL.
2.
THE HOME OFFICE ARE NOW PREPARING A SUBMISSION FOR THEIR MINISTERS, WHICH WILL RECOMMEND THAT NUMBERS SHOULD BE MADE UP TO 468. THEY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MOST CLOSELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ORIGINAL MINISTERIAL DECISION TO DRAW ON THOSE WHO MEET THE FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA, BUT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL FIGURE. IN SOME CASES THIS INVOLVES REFUGEES WHOSE FAMILY TIES CAME TO LIGHT AFTER THE MINISTERIAL DECISION, IN OTHER CASES REFUGEES WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG MORE RECENTLY THAN THE ORIGINAL CUT-OFF POINT. IN ADDITION, AND AT OUR REQUEST, THE HOME OFFICE WILL LOOK AT THE QUOTE UK REFUSAL CASES UNQUOTE TO SEE IF ANY OF THOSE MIGHT QUALIFY FOR RESETTLEMENT BY VIRTUE OF FAMILY LINKS WITH VIETNAMESE ALREADY SETTLED IN THE UK. SOME MONTHS EARLIER WE HAD PROPOSED TO THE HOME OFFICE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL THAT UK REFUSAL CASES MIGHT MAKE UP SOME OF THE SHORTFALL FROM THE 468, BUT THE HOME OFFICE HAD FELT UNABLE TO AGREE.
3.
THE OUTCOME OF THE HOME OFFICE CONSIDERATION WILL BE A ROUND OF MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENCE, IN WHICH WE SHALL HAVE A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR VIEWS KNOWN BEFORE FINAL
DECISIONS ARE TAKEN.
HOWE
YYYY
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