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There have been several telegrams in recent floats about Vietnamese refugees rescued at sea and I thought you would wish to be brought up- to-date regarding the UNHCR appeal to Governments, dated 28 July.
2. The numbers of such refugees are growing daily (current UNHCR estimates put the number awaiting resettlement at 1500).
For some considerable time the UNHCR had been thinking of formulating a plan to help solve this problem. The High Commissioner touched on this when he called on Mr Luard on 15 June. It was, however, as a result of some subsequent pressure from ourselves and the Americans, following the rescue at sea of 99 Vietnamese by the Burmese vessel 'Ava' which landed the refugees at Hong Kong, that the High Commissioner launched his appeal when he did. Our main reasons for applying such pressure, apart from the humanitarian considerations, were to alleviate Hong Kong's burden and to get other countries in the area to allow themselves to be used for first asylum. The main American concern was, and is, to encourage others to share the burden of permanent settlement. Happily, the 'Ava' refugees have all been accepted for settlement in the USA but there are many others.
4.
On 2 August, just before we had received the High Commissioner's appeal, Sir James Bottomley wrote to Prince Sadruddin saying "the British authorities in London are awaiting with great interest the communication about refugees in small boats". On 9 August, we asked UKMis Geneva to let the High Commissioner know that the question was receiving the urgent attention of HMG.
5. As you know, I tried hard to get the Home Office to come to a decision on the appeal (ie whether or not to accept into the UK a given' quota of these refugees) in time for announcement at the recent UNHCR Executive Committee meeting. I was unsuccessful.
FCC comments
6. The Home Office (Immigration and Nationality Branch) has been consulting other Home Office departments and the FCC about the text of a background note and draft letter to the Treasury. on this are at Flag E.
7. 1 rang the Home Office yesterday to enquire where the matter stood and was surprised to learn that no decision had yet been taken, although the letter to the Treasury is expected to issue today. I expressed some concern about the delay since the appeal was made.
8. Since it was, partly, due to our intervention that the problem was brought to the attention of the international community, it seems to me poor that we have not yet responded positively to the appeal. (as I have
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Mr. Milton; copy for info.
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DIMM 27110.