TNAG-1801-FCO40-2561-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 183

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FM FCO

TO DESKBY 26010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 524

OF 25154OZ FEBRUARY 88

AND TO DESKBY 26010OZ SEOUL

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SEOUL FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

WE SUGGEST ADDING THE

MIPT: LORD GLENARTHUR'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES 1.

FOLLOWING POINTS TO SECTION H OF LORD GLENARTHUR'S BRIEF, UNDER POINT (D) VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:

ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME:

ODP IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT TO PERMIT THOSE ENTITLED

TO COME TO THE UK UNDER FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA TO LEAVE VIETNAM.

QUITE DISTINCT FROM ARRANGEMENTS TO TAKE REFUGEES.

NO QUESTION OF ODP AT EXPENSE OF RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. ON THE CONTRARY ODP IS INTENDED TO

REDUCE ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND THUS TO RELIEVE PRESSURE OF

REFUGEES ON PLACES OF FIRST AYSLUM SUCH AS HONG KONG.

CORRECT THAT ARRIVALS IN UK UNDER ODP HAS INCREASED IN RECENT MONTHS. BUT THIS REFLECTS INCREASE IN DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM, NOT DECISION BY HMG TO SETTLE MORE VIETNAMESE FROM THIS SOURCE.

MAKING UP FULL QUOTA OF 468:

AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. CURRENTLY EXAMINING OPTIONS FOR

MAKING UP THE SHORTFALL. SHORTFALL HAS HAD NO EFFECT ON PRESENT OUTFLOW FROM HONG KONG OF ABOUT 20 PER MONTH.

(IF PRESSED). BY NO MEANS RULED OUT MAKING UP THE SHORTFALL.

BUT NEED TO EXAMINE OPTIONS BEFORE TAKING ANY DECISION.

HMG CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNHCR:

OUR TOTAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNHCR PROGRAMME IN 1987 WAS

ABOUT 17.7 MILLION POUNDS. SOME OF THIS WILL MEET THE COST OF

UNHCR'S EFFORTS IN HONG KONG. RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE JUST MADE A SPECIAL FURTHER CONTRIBUTION OF 100,000 POUNDS TOWARDS UNHCR COSTS IN HONG KONG.

2 =

ON THE UNHCR CONTRIBUTIONS, MR PATTEN ANNOUNCED ON 24 FEBRUARY THAT HMG IS GIVING 100,000 POUNDS TO UNHCR TOWARDS THE

COSTS THEY INCUR ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. OUR TOTAL CONTRIBUTION TO UNHCR IN 1987 WAS 17.7 MILLION POUNDS OF WHICH

3.5 MILLION POUNDS WAS FOR THE UNHCR GENERAL PROGRAMME AND THE

BALANCE WAS IN RESPONSE TO SPECIAL APPEALS. FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC

ANNOUNCEMENT HERE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LORD GLENARTHUR MAY BE

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