GR$750
IDENTIAL
FM F C O 041810Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
45:24:3/29
RECANED A REALLY NO. S
$30
DESC178 OFT
DESK OFNCAK
INDEX
PA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2841 OF 4 DECEMBER
AND TO CANBERRA, OTTAWA, BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN, PARIS, BONN AND THE HAGUE.
See (333) + 338
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KUNG, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR ROUTINE SINGAPORE, MANILA, JAKARTA AND HANOI (VIENTIANE PSE PASS BY BAG)
INFO SAVING UKMIS NEW YORK AND UKREP BRUSSELS
INDO-CHINA REFUGEES.
HKK 24-3/1
1
OVER
IN
- 8 DEC8
1. WE ARE CONCERNED AT THE MOUNTING PROBLEM OF CHINESE CLE
INDOCHINESEEN!
REFUGEES, PARTICULARLY NOW VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE LARGELY ETHNIC CHINESE, AND WOULD WELCOME AN INDICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO WHICH YOU ARE ACCREDITED ON THE LINE IT INTENDS TO TAKE AT THE UNHCR MEETING AT GENEVA ON 11/12 DECEMBER,
2. THE ASEAŃ STATES, ESPECIALLY MALAYSIA AND THAILAND, ATTACH. IMPORTANCE BOTH TO THIS MEETING AND TO THE PASSAGE IN THE
E E C/ASEAN JOINT DECLARATION OF 21 NOVEMBER IN WHICH ALL 14 FOREIGN MINISTERS CALLED FOR WIDER SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS FOR SETTLING THE REFUGEES. THE US OFFER TO TAKE ANOTHER 21,000 IS GENEROUS AND PRAISEWORTHY. WE ARE URGENTLY CONSIDERING OUR POSITION BUT, AS I HAVE TOLD THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF MALAYSIA AND THAILAND PERSONALLY WITHIN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS, WE HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS WHICH LIMIT THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE CAN HELP BEYOND THE 1,236 INDO-CHINESE WE HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED AND OUR UNDERTAKING TO ADMIT BOAT PEOPLE RESCUED BY BRITISH-REGISTERED SHIPS IF THESE HAVE NOT BEEN RESETTLED ELSEWHERE WITHIN THREE MONTHS. OUR PROBLEMS RELATE TO OUR OBLIGATIONS TO ADMIT U K P H AND DEPENDENTS OF EXISTING IMMIGRANTS FROM THE SUB-CONTINENT: AND TO HONG KONG, WHERE WE MUST RELIEVE THE BURDEN OF 4,000 BOAT PEOPLE STILL STRANDED THERE WITH VIRTUALLY NO PROSPECT OF SETTLEMENT (MANY MORE VIETNAMESE WITH HONG KONG CONNECTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ABSORBED INTO HONG KONG LIFE).
CONFIDENTIAL
13.
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