GR 400
PRAITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 1329432
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
AKB 243/7 RECEIVED IN ASSAY MO. 51 15 JUN 1973
DESK 04
103
INDEX
No
TO PRIORITY F.C.0 TELNO.723 OF 13 JUNE 78,
TRY
ction Taken
аз
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, WASHINGTON, KUALA LUMPUR,
VIENTIANE, HANOI, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON,
100)
MY TELNO.712 (NOT TO KUALA LUMPUR OR HONGAID) ↑ VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
1. A FURTHER 83 REFUGEES HAVE ARRIVED IN THE PAST THREE DAYS.
OF THE 586 WHO HAVE ARRIVED SINCE 1 MAY, 260 HAVE BEEN ETHNIC CHINESE. THERE ARE NOW 794 AWAITING RESETTLEMENT.
2. ALL THE RECENT ARRIVALS HAVE NOW BEEN LANDED TEMPORARILY
AGAINST A UNHCR GUARANTEE. THE IMMEDIATE ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED BY SAMPATKUMAR, AT PRESENT VISITING FROM THE UNHCR OFFICE IN KUALA LUMPUR. HE CLAIMS THAT HE HAS ALSO MADE CONTINGENCY PLANS TO ACCOMMODATE A FURTHER 500 REFUGEES.
3. IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON ICEM, SAMPATKUMAR HAS PROPOSED
A TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT UNDER WHICH A UNHCR OFFICER FROM KUALA LUMPUR WOULD COME ON EXTENDED VISITS TO HONG KONG WITH HELP FROM
A LOCALLY ENGAGED EMPLOYEE IN PROCESSING REFUGEES HERE. WOULD ARRANGE ALL ACCOMMODATION, MAINTENANCE AND DOCUMENTATION,
WHILE ICEM LEAVING ICEM RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR ONWARD TRAVEL,
THEY
ARE SLIGHTLY SCEPTICAL ABOUT HOW WELL THIS WILL WORK, WE HAVE ACCEPTED THE PROPOSAL SINCE IT OFFERS THE BEST HOPE OF CONTINUING
THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS UNDER WHICH REFUGEES ARE ACCOMMODATED IN HOTELS AND HOSTELS. SAMPATKUMAR ACCEPTS THAT WE CANNOT CONSIDER OPENING REFUGEE CAMPS. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF A SEPARATE
UNHCR OFFICE BEING OPENED. WE ARE PROVIDING UNHCR WITH FREE OFFICE ACCOMMODATION IN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO MINIMISE
PUBLICITY. THESE ARRANGEMENTS (WHICH
THESE ARRANGEMENTS (WHICH WILL COME INTO EFFECT NEXT WEEK) WILL BE REVIEWED AS NECESSARY: ASSUMING THERE ARE NO
PROBLEMS, WE EXPECT THEM TO LAST AS LONG AS SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS
CONFIDENTIAL
/OF REFUGEES