2.
RESTRICTED
་
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER DESCRIBED THIS AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT. UNHCR WOULD RESPOND BY SENDING A MISSION TO DISCUS MODALITIES WITH THE VIETNAMESE. AN ORCANISED FLOW WITH AN EM ASIS ON FAMILY REUNIFICATION WOULD SLOW DOWN THE EXODUS THOUGH IT WOULD BE SOME MONTHS BEFORE THIS WOULD BE FELT. MEANWHILE IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP THE QUEUE MOVING BY INCREASED OFFERS OF PLACES WHICH WERE NOT KEEPING PACE WITH ARRIVALS. ALTHOUGH PEOPLE ALLOWED TO LEAVE FREELY WOULD NOT STRICTLY FÄLL WITHIN HIS MANDATE, THE HIGH COMMISSSIONER WAS PREPARED TOLEND HIS GOOD OFFICES WHILST MAKING IT CLEAR THAT UNHCR COULD NOT BECOME A CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH VIETNAM OFF-LOADED ULANTED PEOPLE.
3. THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR SUPPORTED BY HIS FRG COLLEAGUE FELT THAT THE VIETNAMESE MESSAGE HAD COMPLEX IMPLICATIONS FOR SITUATIONS ELSEWHERE AND THAT AS MANY OF THE REFUGEES AS POSS IBLE SHOULD REMAIN IN THE REGION.
4. THE LATEST STATISTICAL TABLES (COPY BY BAG)
WERE ALSO CIRCULATED. THEY SHOWED A TOTAL OF
THE
38,030 OFFERS OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES AS OF 15 JANUARY. HIGH COMMISSIONER WAS HEARTENED BY THE INCREASE OF 35,333 SINCE BEFORE THE DECEMBER CONSULTATIONS, BUT EMPHASISED THAT ALL THE 220,000 REFUGEES IN THE REGION MUST IN TIME BE RESETTLED. THE US ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HOPED TO INCREASE THE FLOW TO 7,833 PER MONTH AND TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ANOTHER 53,000 AFTER 33 APRIL. BUT THIS WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO SELL TO CONGRESS IF OTHER COUNTRIES COULD MAKE A PARALLEL CONTINUING COMMITMENT. THE US WOULD TAKE 1,603 FROM HONG KONG BY THE END OF MARCH,
·
5. WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRESS THE SPECIAL BURDEN CARRIED BY HONG KONG AND THE NEED TO BEAR ITS INTERESTS IN
MIND.
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO VBANGKOK, SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR,
PEKING JAKARTA, WASHINGTON. CANDERA, PARIS.
CHANOI, MANILA,
MACINNES
FILES
UND
HK v GD SEAD
FED SAD
EID (E)
FUSD
CID
IPD
[REPEATED AS REGIJESTED THES
NEWS.D
MY D
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBINSON
PS/HR LUARD
PS PUS
SIR A DUFF'
MR CORTAZZI
MA WEIRA.
HR MURRAY
STRICTED
To:
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
MR BURLEIGH
LONDON
HOME OFFICE QUEEN ANNES ĜATE
MR BIRT HOME OFFICE
KUNAR HOUSE
CROYDON).