TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 64

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The frustration felt by the Hong Kong community on this problem was voiced by a large number of my colleagues in a debate last week. They urged HMG to:

(a)

reaffirm its commitment

resolve

increasing its

(b)

(c)

to help Hong Kong

the problem by substantially of Vietnamese

intake

refugees from Hong Kong;

persuade other resettlement countries to follow UK's lead and to accept more refugees; and

a

continue negotiations with the Vietnamese Government with

view to making arrangements to repatriate boat people who since

have

arrived

in

Hong

Kong

16 June 1988 and who do not qualify as

refugees.

In a recent radio interview, the Minister of State for Home Affairs gave as a reason for the low resettlement places for Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong the fact that the UK were taking 30 per month from Vietnam under the Orderly Departure Programme. The people of Hong Kong are bewildered that priority should be given to a country for which the U.K. has no constitutional responsibility at the expense of a territory for which it has.

At a time when there is growing concern that UK'S interest in Hong Kong is diminishing, we look to HMG to demonstrate its responsibility by helping us to solve this long-standing problem.

Yours sincerely,

Lydia DUNN

On behalf of all the Members of Executive & Legislative Councils