CONFIDENTIAL
2
at least that temporary asylum has been given to the following numbers of refugees by the following countries as listed :-
3runei
24
Indonesia
about
150
Malaysia Philippines
Japan
100
320
an unknown number from two ships during the past fev veeks.
8.
singapore policy is very stiff. Four ships carrying Vietnamese refugees (80) arrived at Singapore over the past three months. The Singapore authorities have consistently refused to allow anyone to disembark until their resettlement in other countries has been guaranteed. The UNHCR representative has, however, been allowed to interview groups on board ship.
9.
The official policy of Thailand is not to admit any more refugees from Vietnam. In practice, however, their policy has been reasonably flexible in that they have allowed ships to stay close to harbours for the UNHCR and other officials to interview them with a view to resettlement elsevhere.
10.
Although Malaysia has given temporary asylum to some recent boatloads, they have, as we have done here, preferred on occasion to give sufficient supplies to small boats for them to get to Taivan or possibly the Philippines. Kong has done this once, successfully.
11.
Hong
The general pattern suggests that at least 700 Vietnamese refugees have been picked up at sea by ships in the past two or three months and landed at ports in the area. Mr Sampatkumar accepts that this is a continuing problem which will not be solved until conditions in Vietnam are much more settled. So far, 18 ships of a variety of nationalities have picked up Vietnamese refugees in the South China Sea. Against this background, our burden of 118 is not unreasonable. But we are likely to have an unknown number of small boats sneaking out of Vietnam and successfully landing in other parts of South-East Asia.
12.
Mr Sampatkumar has no complaint or problem about his reception or activities in Hong Kong.
13.
Attached at flag 'A' is a copy of the aide memoire on the 'AVA' which was left by our Ambassador in Geneva with Prince Sadruddin, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
CONFIDENTIAL
/contd....