NT
eps 160
CONFIDENTIAL
138
IMMATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM OTTAWA 1520452
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
REMLIVED IN KEUNARY RO. 51 16 AUG 1978
INDEX
M
D.
PA
A CZE
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 481 OF 15 AUGUST 1978
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON AND HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING AND UKMIS GENEVA
See (144
YOUR TELNO 628 TO HONG KONG : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AVON FOREST''
1. WE PUT YOUR REQUEST TO WILSON, WHO HAS INFORMED US AFTER CONSULTING THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES THAT CANADA IS NOT PREPARED
TO ACCEPT THE REFUGEES ON A TEMPORARY BASIS BECAUSE OF THE PRECEDENT
THIS MIGHT SET.
2.
HOWEVER, THE CANADIANS HAVE A QUOTA FOR PERMANENT SETLEMENT OF 50 VIETNAMESE FAMILIES PER MONTH. THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE
PRIORITY CONSIDERATION TO THE 'AVON FOREST" REFUGEES AND TO
ACCEPT AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AS ARE ABLE TO PASS THEIR
STRINGENT MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS,
3. CANADA CANNOT OPERATE IN TAIWAN BUT IF THE REFUGEES CAN BE
BROUGHT TO HONG KONG, PERHAPS BY AIR, THE CANADIAN IMMIGRATION
AUTHORITIES ARE READY TO CARRY OUT THE PROCESS OF CLEARING THEM
THERE A PROCEDURE WHICH NORMALLY TAKES APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS.
THERE WOULD APPEAR TO BE A GOOD CHANCE THAT CANADA WOULD THEN BE
ABLE TO TAKE A LARGE NUMBER, IF NOT ALL OF THE GROUP.
FORD
FILES
UND
HK & GD
SEAD
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
FED
MR WEIR
NAD
MR MURRAY
NEWS D OID
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO
IMMIGRACION & NATIONALITY BRANCH HOME OFFICE, LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON