IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
GPS 190
FM F C O 2517012
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 260038Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN-
REGISTRY No. 50
26 JUN 1975
NXK 18/25
218
TOP COPY
LANT
REF.
NEKT
REF.
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 502 OF 25 JUNE.
FROM HKIOD.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
219
1. SIR P BRYAN HAS PUT DOWN A QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER ON 1 JULY
TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE WHAT FINANCIAL OR OTHER HELP H M G
HAS GIVEN TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM.
2. WE ARE PROPOSING TO RECOMMEND A REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
QUOTE WE HAVE DIRECTLY APPROACHED SOME 14 COUNTRIES ABOUT RESETTLEMENT: ON POSSIBLE ADMISSION TO THE UK I WOULD REFER TO MY RIGHT HONOURABLE FRIEND'S STATEMENT OF 21 MAY, WE ARE OFFERING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT POUNDS STERLING 50,000, IN ADDITION TO THE POUNDS STERLING 20,000 ALREADY GIVEN, TO HELP CARE FOR THE REFUGEES WHILE IN TRANSIT. UNQUOTE
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS BY 261380Z.
3. PARA. 7 OF DONALD'S LETTER OF 18 JUNE. MINISTERS HAVE JUST APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE THAT WE SHOULD OFFER YOU AN ADDITIONAL GRANT OF POUNDS STERLING 50,000 TO HELP WITH THE TRANSIT COSTS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. THIS WILL BE FORMALLY ANNOUNCED ON 1 JULY, IN THE ANSWER TO SIR P BRYAN QUESTION. YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THIS IS THE LIMIT OF THE SUPPORT WE ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE.
CALLAGHAN
FILES
HKIOD (3)
FED SEAD
N AM D
WED
SWPO
UND
COPIES TO:
DISASTER UNIT ODM
MR RAE FINANCE D ODM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE 6 GRAFTON STREET
WI
MVD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR WILFORD
MR MALE
MR HAWLEY
MR CAMPBELL MR WEIR
CONFIDENTIAL