TNAG-2355-FCO40-3426-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 151

BULL POINTS

Vietnamese Boat People

- Our objective remains the repatriation of all non-refugee Vietnamese migrants by the full and balanced implementation of the Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed by the international community.

- The number of new arrivals fell sharply in 1990 compared

to 1989. But Hong Kong still faces a serious situation as a

result of sheer number of VPB in territory. The total boat

people population there now stands at just under 52,000.

It

is very much to Hong Kong's credit that the authorities have

managed to accommodate such a huge influx, despite the appalling practical difficulties and at a cost of over £200

million to date.

- In response to this situation, British government have stepped up their efforts to help Hong Kong. Since the

beginning of 1989 we have pledged or contributed to Hong

Kong and the UNHCR nearly £35 million for accommodation and other costs associated with the boat people problem.

-

Part of our contribution has gone towards the construction

of a new camp at Tai a Chau which opened this month and will

enable improvements in camp conditions to be made. Further improvements will depend mainly on the flow of new arrivals

and the rate at which non-refugees can be returned to

Vietnam. We have also made a major contribution to the

construction of a Regional Refugee Transit Centre in the Philippines to which UNHCR has commenced transferring some

5,000 refugees from Hong Kong.

- We have also undertaken to resettle 2,000 refugees from Hong Kong in the period up to 1992 in addition to the 13,000

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