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Ar Allen FED
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Reference
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UNHCR CONSULTATIONS ON REFUGEES IN INDO-CHINA: GENEVA, 11-12 DECEMBER
1. In connexion with the above conference which the UNHCR has called to help find a solution to the refugee problem in Indo-China, Mr Heidler (the UNHCR representative in London) telephoned me this morning to say that a partial solution to the problem might be found if China were to be urged to accept numbers of the ethnic Chinese refugees now fleeing Vietnam as "boat refugees". Although China had been invited to attend the conference, being a member of the UNHCR Executive Committee, Mr Heidler thought the Chinese were unlikely to participate.
2.
I agreed it would certainly alleviate the refugee situation in the region if China could admit ethnic Chinese refugees leaving Vietnam who were prepared to go there. Mr Heidler then asked whether the British government would be willing to give some encouragement to UNHCR efforts to find solutions to the problem by expressing publicly the view that China's acceptance of such refugees would ease the situation in the region.
3. I told Mr Heidler that I would need to consult colleagues since there could be some political nuances of which I might be unaware. However, I said my own preliminary reaction was that, while we would wish to give every encouragement to the UN High Commissioner to include in his conference all countries concerned, however marginal their involvement, in the Indo-Chinese refugee problem (we had been discussing earlier the attendance of Panama and Liberia), I doubted that we would wish to single out China in the way he suggested. would need to consider the implications for our bilateral relations and also bear in mind China's relations with Hong Kong.
4.
We
I should be most grateful if you would consider this matter and let me have your views in time for the preparation of briefing (end of November)for the UK delegation to the UNHCR conference.
HKK 243/1 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
2 2 NOV 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
20 November, 1978 No
PA
REGOTRY
Action Ten
CLE
P Morgan
UN Department
I have muted
that I see no
се
Mr Humfrey SEAD
Mr Thompson HKGD
to sungle
at Cluna.
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