CONFIDEN MAL
315
G
10
HKK 243/1
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 061049Z FEB 79
по
Jah
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TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.213 OF 6 FEBRUARY.
FOLLOWING FOR U.N DEPARTMENT FROM POLITICAL ADVISER.
303
YOUR TELNO.163: REFUGEES.
BIRT
ANY CONVERSATION
1. THE HOME OFFICE APPEAR TO HAVE A VERY GARBLED PICTURE.
HAS NOT TELEPHONED THEM SINCE ARRIVING HERE. WITH HEAD MUST HAVE TAKEN PLACE PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE.
2. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE FAR FROM BEING INUNDATED!' WITH OFFERS,
THERE HAVE BEEN REASONABLY HELPFUL RESPONSES FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF COUNTRIES (F.R.G, CANADA, AUSTRALIA). HOWEVER THESE, TOGETHER WITH PROJECTED ONWARD MOVEMENT TO THE U.S OF ABOUT 2,000 BY THE
END OF APRIL, WILL ONLY HELP WITH ABOUT 2,800 OF THE 3728 AT PRESENT UNDER U N H C R'S CARE. FURTHERMORE, THIS IS ONLY HALF THE STORY (SEE BELOW).
3. THE U.K OFFER IS THE ONLY MAJOR CONTRIBUTION (APART FROM
WHATEVER NUMBERS THERE ARE IN THE NEXT U.S PROGRAMME, WHICH WILL
ALSO HELP WITH THE BLEAK PROSPECTS FOR 1
(A) THE 3,318 FROM THE 'HUEY FONG':
(B)
THOSE WE EXPECT TO ARRIVE DURING THE REST OF THIS YEAR: U.S AND CANADIAN OFFICIALS HERE AGREE THAT 15,000 IS A REALISTIC
ESTIMATE:
(C) THE 3,000 PLUS WHO HAVE (SO FAR) COME VIA CHINA AND WHOM
WE WILL HAVE TO ASK UNHCR TO TRY TO RESETTLE IF (AS SEEMS LIKELY) THE CHINESE DO NOT TAKE THEM ALL BACK.
4.THE U.K OFFER IS, THEREFORE, VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR BOTH PRACTICAL
AND POLITICAL REASONS. I HOPE YOU WILL ENSURE THAT THE HOME OFFICE
ARE IN NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS.
CONFIDENMAL
;
13, THERE ARE