GPS 172
UNCLASSIFIED
JKMIS GENEVA 1211452 DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 81 OF 12 DECEMBER 78
INFO PRIORITY FCO, HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON
INFO SAVING HANOI
165
See 171
HKK 341/1
341/100
RECEIVED IN REBÍRY NO. AT 14 DEC 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
ملا
PA
768
Action Taken
pour CLE
ри
PARA.3 OF FCO TELNO 795 TO PEKING: IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA
1.
FOLLOWING IS EXTRACT RELATING TO HONG KONG FROM MR LUARDS STATEMENT OF 11 DECEMBER TO UNHCR CONSULTATIONS ON INDO-CHINESE
REFUGEES.
4
2
QUOTE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE THE SERIOUS AND DIFFICULT REFUGEE PROBLEM FROM OTHER SOURCES WHICH IT FACES, HAS AGREED TO MAKE SUCH AN UNDERTAKING. IT HAS ACCEPTED REFUGEES FROM SHIPS WHOSE FIRST PORT OF CALL IS HONG KONG AND REFUGEES ARRIVING IN THEIR OWN CRAFT: AND THIS DESPITE THE CONSIDERABLE CVERCROWDING IN THIS SMALL TERRITORY, WHICH HAS SEEN ITS POPULATION GROW FROM 1/2 MILLION TO 4.7 MILLION IN THE LAST THIRTY YEARS AND HAS MANY OTHER REFUGEES FROM ELSEWHERE. OVER
1,380 IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA ENTER HONG KONG LEGALLY AND ANOTHER 1.3,000 ILLEGALLY EACH MONTH. DESPITE THIS BURDEN SINCE EARLY 1275 HONG KONG HAS PROVIDED TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT SHELTER FOR ABOUT 14,000 INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES, OF WHICH 12,000 HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT. UNQUOTE.
CO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO HANOI.
MURRAY.
FILES
HK.GD
[REPEATED AS PEQUESTED]
!
UND
SE AD
FED
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PL/PUS
MR.CORTAZZI
MR.MURRAY
COPIES TO:
HKGO.,LONDON.