CONFIDENTIAL
8. In the face of the increasing numbers leaving Vietnam, some
states in the region have adopted restrictive asylum policies
(for example, Singapore and Taiwan). At the current UNHCR meeting
the UK delegation will encourage states to liberalise their policies,
in this regard, though none will be singled out for special criticism.
On the other hand, we recognise the problems caused to countries
of first asylum such as Malaysia which has hitherto had a generous
record of accepting refugees. Hong Kong continues to operate a
generous asylum policy in respect of "boat refugees" and now has
some 4,000 there for whom no early resettlement places can be found.
There needs to be a wider sharing of the burden in SE Asia and the
UK will support the efforts of the UNHCR to achieve this.
9.
2,500 Vietnamese refugees were stranded on the ss HAI HONG
off the coast of Malaysia for several weeks, while the UNHCR tried
to find resettlement places for them. All have now been allocated
to a number of Western countries: Canada, the United States, France,
Belgium and the FRG.
AVONDT TYDSA (TT A T