CONFIDENTIAL
BUT RESETTLEMENT PLACES ARE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL. THE 12,000 REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS FROM INDO-CHINA ALREADY ABSORBED
INTO HONG KONG ARE EQUIVALENT TO 0.26 % OF THE POPULATION,
7. AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN HONG KONG'S RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM
OF BOAT REFUGEES HAS BEEN MAINTENANCE OF THE PRINCIPLE THAT BOAT
REFUGEES BE LANDED AND PROCESSED AT THE FIRST SCHEDULED PORT OF
CALL, WITHOUT PRIOR GUARANTEES (NOTE E). IN CERTAIN CASES ON
CAN SYMPATHISE WITH THE REASONS WHICH HAVE CAUSED THIS PRINCIPLE
TO BE LESS THAN FULLY OBSERVED IN SOME PLACES. IT IS, NEVERTHELES AN ESSENTIAL FIRST PRINCIPLE IF SOLUTIONS ARE TO BE SOUGHT WITH
THE MINIMUM POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. HOWEVER IF PLACES LIKE HONG KONG ARE TO CONTINUE TO OBSERVE THE PRINCIPLE, IT IS EQUALLY ESSENTIAL THAT THERE SHOULD VERY SOON BE A DRAMATIC AND SUSTAINED
INCREASE IN RESETTLEMENT PLACES AVAILABLE AND IN THE SPEED OF ONWARD MOVEMENT. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ESTABLISH A HUMANE INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR TACKLING THIS TRAGIC PROBLEM.
FCO PSE PASS SAVVINGS HANOI AND PEKING
MACLEHOSE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
PS/LORD GORONVY ROBERTS F'S/HR.LUARD
PS/EUS
FILES
UND
PS
SEAD
NAD
HKGD
EID
PED
MVD
OID
*
MR.PIGG
NEWS D
MR.COMPAZZI
MK.WEIR
MR.FIRRAT
MR.STRATION
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
MR.BIRT, HOME OFFICE. MR.D.SHINI, ODM
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE.
: