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3. Against this background, the Governor of Hong Kong has recommended that the allocation of the 1,500 refugees which the Home Secretary has now agreed should be accepted into the UK should be reconsidered (Hong Kong tel No 62). He has argued that the UK will need to take at least 1,000 refugees from Hong Kong if the HUEY FONG is to be admitted, both to reassure public opinion in the territory and to help persuade other potential recipient countries to play their part in finding new homes for the mounting number of Vietnamese refugees now awaiting resettlement in Hong Kong (nearly 5,000 not counting those on board the HUEY FONG).
4.
HK&GD and UND strongly support the Governor. While we recognise that Malaysia and Thailand face very serious problems in coping with Vietnamese refugees, we have a special responsibility for Hong Kong which should be reflected in the way we divide the 1,500. I therefore recommend that 1,000 be taken from Hong Kong and that the remaining 500 be divided equally between Malaysia and Thailand.
5. SEAD agree; but they would see great value at the present time when Malaysia and Thailand see themselves in the front line against Vietnam, if they could be given to understand that 150 each would not necessarily be the full extent of the help we were prepared to give in coping with their growing refugee problem. I am afraid that all we could at present do on this, without compromising the position of the Home Secretary (see the last sentence of para 2 of his letter), would be to instruct our posts, when informing the Thais and Malaysians. to point out our continuing commitment to accept ultimate responsibilit; for any refugees landed at their ports by UK-registered ships.
6
I submit a draft reply to the Home Secretary proposing the revised allocation of places here for refugees from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand (Home Office officials see no problem about this).
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10 January 1979
MK O Simpson-Orlebar UN Department
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