GRS 150
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG 260752Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED, IN
REGISTRY No, 50
COP COP1
(219)
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 26130wZ
26 JUNI975
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER-EST OF 26 JUNE.
LAST
218
REF.
NEXT
REF.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 502: PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION ON VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES.
NO COMMENTS ON YOUR PROPOSED ANSWER.
ра
W
4/7
2. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OFFER OF EXTRA FINANCIAL HELP. IT WILL COVER INTER ALIA THE BILL FOR DOLLARS 93,000 WHICH REPRESENTS THE COST OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH ARMED SERVICES IN RECEIVING AND ACCOMMODATING THE REFUGEES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ARRIVAL OF THE CLARA MAERSK.
3. IS THERE ANY HOPE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL TAKE ANY OF THE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE? THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF PUBLICITY RECENTLY ABOUT THE EFFORTS BEING MADE BY OTHER COUNTRIES. WE ESTIMATE THAT PERHAPS UP TO 600 WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO FRANCE WITH SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS TO CANADA (POSSIBLY 480), AUSTRALIA (200), DENMARK (108), AUSTRIA (100).
4, RECENT VISITOR FROM UNITED STATES TASK FORCE IN WASHINGTON HAS GIVEN GOOD HOPE THAT UNITED STATES MAY TAKE UP TO 1,380 REFUGEES, BUT IN PRACTICE WE THINK THIS IS LIKELY TO BE NEARER
800, BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE INITIALLY SCREENED BY THE AMERICANS SOME WEEKS AGO WILL HAVE GONE TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
5. NEVERTHELESS, ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM IN RECEIVING SOME OF THE RUMP WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
ROBERTS
FILES HKIOD (3)
FED
SEAD
NAM D
WED SUPD UN DEPT
MVD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR WILFORD
MR MALE
MR HAWLEY
MR CAMPBELL
CONFIDENTIAL
MR WEIR
COPIES TO:
DISASTER UNIT ODM
MR RAE FINANCE DEPT.ODM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE,
6. GRAFTON STREET, W.1.