TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 76

I believe that the British Government too have

played their full part. It was our initiative which led

to the Geneva Conference in 1979, when there were nearly

70,000 arrivals in Hong Kong from Vietnam. The

arrangements which were agreed at that Conference have

served Hong Kong well. Nearly 110,000 boat people have

been resettled from Hong Kong since 1979, and 13,000 of

these have come to the United Kingdom. Our record on

certainly tears

comparisons

resettlement is fully comparable with that of other

countries which, unlike Britain, have continuing

programmes of large-scale immigration.

We all recognise that the position in Hong Kong has

changed dramatically in the last twelve months.

We gave

our full support to the change of policy put into effect

by the Hong Kong Government on 16 June. We have since

been most active in pursuing the international aspects of

that new policy in bilateral discussions with the

Vietnamese Government and in international fora.

efforts)

These are already bearing fruit. We should soon see the

return to Vietnam, under arrangements made by UNHCR, of a

first group of volunteers. We shall continue our

secure

efforts to ensure that the return to Vietnam of those not

qualified to be considered as refugees. is pursued.

Where resettlement is concerned, we have reviewed

our commitment in the light of recent developments.

As you will know, the British Government announced on

22 December that we are prepared in principle to take a

further 1,000 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong over