GRS 700
CONFIDENTIAL
UNS243/27 1/7
INCLASSIFIED
M HONG KONG 071205Z DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1403 OF 7 DECEMBER
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
MY TELNO 1408: INDO-CHINA REFUGEES: HONG KONG SITREP.
1. PARAS 3 TO 9 BELOW CONSTITUTE THE NOTE PROMISED IN REFTEL
PARA 10(B), TO BE USED AS YOU SEE FIT. CHARLES CHOU WILL BE ABLE
TO AMPLIFY BACKGROUND POINTS FOR THE UK DELEGATION IN GENEVA,
2. SINCE STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS (ESPECIALLY LOWMAN) ARE TAKING
CLSCE AND URGENT INTEREST IN THE PROBLEMS OF ACCOMMODATION AND
COSTS HERE, GRATEFUL IF WASHINGTON AND UKMIS GENEVA WOULD PASS
A COPY OF THE NOTE TO APPROPRIATE US COLLEAGUES.
3. ON 7 DECEMBER THERE WERE 3917 COAT REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM
IN HONG KONG AWAITING RESETTLEMENT.
4. THE NUMBER OF PLACES ACCOMMODATING THE REFUGEES HAS BEEN
REDUCED TO ABOUT 18. 1171 ARE PRESENTLY AT SHAMSHUIPO (SSP) A FURTHER 486 SHOULD MOVE THERE NEXT WEEK AND A FURTHER 432 ON OR ABOUT 17 DECEMBER (TOTAL 2089). THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY AT SSP IS ABOUT 2100, WHICH WILL BE REACHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
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5. THE SSP SITE IS MANAGED BY THE HONG KONG CHRISTIAN SERVICE FOR UNHCR WHO HAVE OBTAINED ITS USE ON A SHORT LEASE, RENEWABLE MONTHLY. THE LAND IS EARMARKED FOR REDEVELOPMENT EARLY IN 1979
AS A PARK AND SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX. IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT PART OF THE SITE WILL HAVE TO BE GIVEN UP IN MARCH AND THE REMAINDER IN JUNE: IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO DELAY THIS (BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY).
6. THE 96 FLATS WHICH COMPRISE JUBILEE BUILDINGS ARE A MAJOR NEW SOURCE OF CHEAPER ACCOMMODATION WHICH SHOULD SCON BECOME AVAILABLE. NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BETWEEN UNHCR, THE
US CONSULATE-GENERAL (WHO HAVE AGREED TO UNDERWRITE THE FINANCING OF THE PROJECT) THE OWNERS AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS IN THAT THE HKG INTENDS TO RESUME THE PROPERTY AND THE PRESENT OWNERS ARE PURSUING A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AGAINST
CONFIDENTIAL
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