TNAG-1801-FCO40-2561-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 52

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CONFIDENTIAL

Hong Kong and international community are looking to us to take

lead with new resettlement commitment.

Supportive action by HMG in this area would also be consistent

with our wider objectives of demonstrating commitment, sustaining

confidence.

4.

Well aware of your earlier reservations about new resettlement

commitment on grounds that this would serve only to stimulate flow of illegal departures from Vietnam. But new policy of rigorous screening on arrival should enable us to proceed with resettlement

without stimulating new arrivals of boat people who would have to be

settled in turn.

5.

Hope you will agree that a new resettlement commitment is now

necessary and unavoidable. Question is what form it should take?

We should reach a common position on this and put our proposals to

Prime Minister.

6. Well appreciate reluctance to take in more Vietnamese in this

country. Aware too of burden this imposes on reception facilities.

But believe people in this country would understand reasons for this

under present circumstances. Reactions from fellow MPs,

constituents and media show there is fund of sympathy towards Hong

Kong and boat people.

7. Size and composition of our new commitment will be crucial.

Token gesture would be worse than nothing. Must be seen to be

commensurate with new scale of problem: must reach point of

'critical mass' needed to generate generous offers from other

countries. If we can achieve that, result would be multiplier

effect on overall benefit to Hong Kong.

8.

1,000.

Have concluded that minimum required would be new commitment of

Suggest following basis:

(i) continuation of the present family reunion scheme on the

existing basis once the present quota of 468 is exhausted

in May or June 1989. About another 200 meet the same family reunion criteria: they would continue to be

resettled at a rate of 20 a month;

CONFIDENTIAL