GPS 320A
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM UKMIS GENEVA 021621Z
CONFIDENT. I AL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY, No. 50
- 2 JUN1975
WKK18/25
LAST
REF.
1ག
(176)
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 379 OF 2 JUNE INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG AND ROUTINE CANBERRA, PEKING, SINGAPORE (SAIGON UNIT), UKMIS NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON
PA
1876
YOUR TELNO 195: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG : UNHCR INVOLVEMENT
1.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO JAEGER WHO HAS INSTRUCTED KADRY TO VISIT
HONG KONG, WITHOUT PUBLICITY, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. VISIT IS UNLIKELY
BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK,
2.
JAEGER WELCOMED INFORMATION WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE. HE SAID
THEY WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO COMMENT ON WHAT HCR COULD DO
TO HELP ONLY AFTER KADRY'S VISIT. BUT HE HAD ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD
BEEN GIVING THOUGHT TO A TEMPORARY UNHCR **PRESENCE' IN HONG KONG
TO HANDLE REFUGEES THERE, SUCH A ''PRESENCE' WOULD PROBABLY TAKE
THE FORM OF A TEAM OF 2 OR 3 OFFICIALS, LIKE THOSE SENT TO GUAM AND
SINGAPORE, WHOSE MAIN FUNCTION WOULD BE TO INTERVIEW REFUGEES.
JAEGER HAS ALREADY TENTATIVELY THOUGHT OF AS TEAM LEADER, IVOR JACKSON, A UK NATIONAL WHO NOW HEADS THE UNHCR'S OFFICE IN VIENNA (SEE VIENNA CONSULAR SECTION'S LETTER 40/8 OF 8 AUGUST 1974 TO MVD).
JAEGER FULLY APPRECIATED THE SPECIAL SENSITIVITIES APPLICABLE TO
HONG KONG IN THIS SITUATION.
IF AGREED, BE
(A) VERY DISCREET:
(B) TECHNICAL: AND
HE STRESSED THAT THEIR PRESENCE WOULD,
(C) TEMPORARY IE THEY WOULD WITHDRAW AS SOON AS THE SITUATION
PERMITTED,
IN ADDITION TO OBTAINING NECESSARY CLEARANCES FROM OURSELVES (INCLUDING HONG KONG), THE UNHCR WOULD ALSO ENSURE THAT PRG HAD NO OBJECTION (PRG CLEARANCE WAS OBTAINED BEFORE SENDING TEAMS TO GUAM AND SINGAPORE ETC). IF NECESSARY, UNHCR WOULD SPEAK TO CHINESE, IN WHICH EVENT JAEGER WAS CONFIDENT THAT NO OBJECTION WOULD BE
RAISED.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.