002 240
IDENTIA.
CEOKBY 1323302
IN FCO 191804Z JAN 79
TO INMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 63 OF 18 JANUARY
HKK 243/1.
243/158
1789
INDEK
N2
Jal. CLE
INFO IMMEDIATE THE HAGUE ROUTINE UKMIS CENEVÁ TELCONS MORGAN/ORR AND MORGAN/MALLINGON (THE HAGUE: HUEY FONG
1. WE UNDERSTAND THAT PLOEG (PRESENTLY IN HONG KONG) IS A RESPECTED FIGURE IN DUTCH PARLIAMENTARY CIRCLES. AMONG DUTCH PARLIAMENTARIANS HE APPEARS TO TAKE MOST INTEREST IN REFUGEE AFFAIRS AND HE WIELDS SOME INFLUENCE,
2. A DUTCH NEWS SERVICE (ANP) RECENTLY REPORTED THAT THE DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER HAD PROMISED PLOEG FULL SUPPORT IN HIS CAMPAIGN TO ASSIST VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
WE HAVE 3. PLOEG'S VISIT TO SOUTH EAST ASIA IS A PRIVATE ONE, BEEN UNABLE TO ESTABLISH EXACTLY WHAT INFLUENCE HE IS LIKELY TO HAVE ON THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES BUT WILL TELEGRAPH FURTHER IF WE DISCOVER ANYTING USEFUL,
4, IF PLOGG SETS HIS MIND TO IT, WE BELIEVE HE MIGHT HAVE SOME SUCCESS IN ENCOURAGING THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG FOR SETTLEMENT IN THE NETHERLANDS: HIS VIEWS ARE, AT ANY RATE, LIKELY TO BE TAKEN ACCOUNT OF BY DUTCH MINISTERS.
5. THE NETHERLANDS ARE CURRENTLY TAKING AN OFFICIAL QUOTA OF GO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES A YEAR, THOUGH THEY ARE SAID TO BE FLEXIBLE AND WILLING TO LOOK AT SPECIAL CASES IN ADDITION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT AS A SPECIAL MEASURE AND IN RESPONSE TO UNHCR APPEALS, THEY HAVE AGREED TO ADMIT 300 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN 1979(OVER AND ABOVE THE QUOTA OF 60), THESE FIGURES ARE EXCLUSIVE OF ANY REFUGEES WHO MIGHT BE RESCUED BY DUTCH SHIPS,
:
OWEN
FILES
IND
WED PS
COPIES TO
JK & GD
FS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
SEAD
PC/HR IWARD
MR BURLEIGH
TXD
PS/PUS
SAD
STR A DOFF
MR BIRT
EID (B)
MR COMAZZI
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
QUEEN ANNE'S CATE
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
HOME OFFICE
TUS))
OLD
D
NMWW D AVD
MR WEIR
GR MURRAY
CONFIDENTTAL
Page 135Page 136
CRS 244
UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO 181330Z JANUARY 79