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6. THE WELCOME NEWS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM THAT BRITAIN HAS
ANNOUNCED READINESS TO ACCEPT 1,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, FROM THOSE ALREADY IN CAMPS IN HONG KONG, AND THE OFFERS FROM SEVERAL
OTHER COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT MORE, WILL HELP DEAL WITH THE EXISTING BACKLOG AND DO SOMETHING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR HONG KONG TO
ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE HUEY FONG PASSENGERS TEMPORARILY AFTER
THEY HAVE BEEN PROCESSED. MORE HELP WILL CERTAINLY BE NEEDED
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RELIEVE HONG KONG OF THE BURDEN
WHICH HAS BEEN FORCED UPON US.
7. THE PASSENGERS ON THE HUEY FONG, NOW ANCHORED NEAR LAMMA ISLAND,
WILL BE PROCESSED BY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ON THREE LIGHTERS WHICH WILL BE POSITIONED ALONGSIDE FOR THIS PURPOSE. EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE WILL BE DEALT WITH ON ITS MERITS. WHEN PASSENGERS
ARE BROUGHT ASHORE FROM THE SHIP IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW DAYS THEY WILL BE KEPT SEPARATE FROM REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG CAMPS
WHILST THEIR STATUS IS FURTHER EXAMINED. WHERE APPROPRIATE THE
UNHCR WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM. THEY WILL NOT BE
CONSIDERED FOR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT ELSEWHERE, AHEAD OF ALL
THOSE REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG AND UNDER THE CARE OF THE
UNHCR.
MACLEHOSE
FILES UND
HK & GD
PS
COPIES TO
SEAD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
LONDON
FED
PS/PUS
SAD
SIR A DUFF
MR BIRT
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE HOME OFFICE
EID (E)
MR CORTAZZI
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
PUSD
MR WEIR
OID
TPD
NEWS D
MR MURRAY
MVD
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