hlaviery
Mr Astley, SEAD
RELIEF AID FOR INDO-CHINA
295
23/18
1.
I think the ODM draft submission omits one important point which could affect its recommendation. The Vietnamese refuteen in Hong Kong are at the moment being resettled on the basis of any connections which they may have had with other countrien, but it is likely that by the end of the month there will be n hard core of 1,200-1,500 left in Hong Kong with nowhere to 27. The Hong Kong Government and the UNCHR representative in Hong Kong consider that the way ahead might be a second wave appeal bosed on humanitarian grounds alone. As Mr Drace-Francis mentions in his letter of 3 September 1975 to Mr O'Keeffe (copied to SEAD and UND) we will have to depend considerably on the UNCHR to help "prick the consciences of the world". The UNCHR may well be more inclined if we have contributed to their appeal.
This point should be made in the draft submission at the end of paragraph 5, possibly with the following addition:-
2*
There is the additional political point that HMG and the Hong Kong Government are likely to find themselves relying heavily on the UNCHR for help in the resettling of those Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong who have not already been moved on. The UNHCR will probably be more disposed to help us if we have contributed to their appeal.
I feel that this point could be considered important eigh to alter the emphasis of the final further recommendation with could be amended to read:-
3.
I further recommend that the balance of £150,000 should be allocated to the UNHCR appeal for resettlement/repatriation of Cambodians and Vietnamese refugees outside Indo-China, unles the expected appeal from Cambodia in the United Nations establinhen for itself an overwhelming priority.
CODE 18-77
22 September 1975
ce,
По датец,
Oater, UND tw. Kew, FRD
بینه
R JANVRIN
Hong Kong and Indon Ocean Department (K 245 MA 632)
CONFIDENTIAL