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CONFIDENTIAL
infoce 14/7
Reberd
29)
M. O'Keeffe Me Jutarn
PS/Lord Gorony-Roberts
VTETNAMESE REFUGEES
Problem
1.
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A Burmese ship, the "Ava", is lying off Hong Kong with 96
Vietnamese refugees on board. With Lord Goronwy-Roberts' approval the Hong Kong Government has refused permission to land, except in compassionate or humanitarian cases, but now the UNHCR has offered to pay the costs of their temporary stay in Hong Kong and to find permanent homes for them elsewhere. What reply should we send to
the UNHCR?
Recommendation
2.
While it is tempting to accept the UNHCR offer on humanitarian grounds, there are strong arguments for insisting that the Burmese should assume responsibility for looking after them until permanent homes are found. It is accordingly recommended that the UNHCR should be informed that he should address his appeal to the Burmese Government; and that the Hong Kong Government would be prepared, in co-operation with ICEM, to airlift the refugees to Rangoon.
Argument
1
3. The "Ava" was allowed to dock in Hong Kong earlier today and three of the refugees were taken off the ship for hospital attention. The ship was revictualled and has again taken up station some 20 miles off Hong Kong where the weather is reported to be good.
4. The arguments for rejecting the UNHCR offer are contained in Hong Kong telegram no. 702. There is much force in the argument that Hong Kong could become a dumping ground and general clearing station for Vietnamese refugees if the UNHCR offer is accepted. (The Political Adviser told me on the telephone this morning that the local representative of the Ockenden Foundation has told him that several hundreds of Vietnamese have made their way to the
CONFIDENTIAL