TNAG-2233-FCO40-3206-Visits-by-the-Office-of-Members-of-the-Executive-and-Legisla-1991 — Page 47

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

Background

CONFIDENTIAL

Personality notes on the delegation

Ref:

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B

Programme for the delegation

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D

C

O E F

Washington telno 1505 of 4 June containing the text of the joint press release issued after US/UK/HKG consultations

Note on expenditure on Vietnamese Boat People by HMG

Hong Kong telno 1823 of 6 June to FCO

Mr Tansley's minute of 4 June: Resettlement in the UK

On 10 May, Omelco announced that it would not support

applications to the finance committee of the Legislative Council for

funds for new accommodation for Vietnamese and that it would send a

delegation to London to seek support for Hong Kong in handling the

Vietnamese problem.

2 During a meeting with Lord Caithness on 20 May, Mr Laing of the Omelco office indicated that the delegation were likely to argue

for the ending of first asylum. The Governor also believes they are

likely to raise the issue of resettlement of refugees in the UK and

more direct financial support. Mrs Fan argued in the LegCo debate

on 5 June that as HMG was responsible for the conduct of the

territory's foreign affairs and opposed the abandonment of first

asylum it should be responsible for the costs of Vietnamese migrants

in Hong Kong. Such an argument is likely to be deployed frequently

in the run up to the LegCo elections in September.

3 In June 1989, the UK agreed to resettle 2000 Vietnamese refugees

from Hong Kong within three years. So far only 667 of the 2000 have

arrived, although a further 410 have been accepted for settlement.

These will be called forward as soon as space is available in one of

six reception centres. The reception centres cater also for

Vietnamese accepted for resettlement under the Orderly Departure

Programme. However, the Home Office are introducing new procedures

to expedite resettlement and believe that the UK's quota will be

filled in time.

VB3AAU

CONFIDENTIAL