CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH
HKK 243/1
276
HAKEN AY NO. 51 - 2 FEB 79
REC
Telephone 01- 233′ 8631
по
PA
en
2
Your reference
C Birt Esq
Immigration and Nationality Dept
Home Office
Lunar House
Croydon
Our reference
Date 31 January 1979
PROPOSAL FOR AN ISLAND REFUGEE PROCESSING CENTRE IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA
1. I sent you, separately, a copy of UKMis Geneva telno 34 to the FCO together with a UNHCR paper which poses some questions with regard to the establishment of a refugee processing centre in South East Asia. I enclose further copies for ease of reference. The UNHCR has asked for our reaction to them.
2. I should be most grateful to receive any comments you may have on the proposal, in particular on the question of resettlement guarantees.
3. I should be grateful also if the other recipients of this letter would let me have their comments on aspects of the UNHCR paper which concern them. Could I please have comments by early next week?
may
4. I have just heard that the Indonesians have offered an island (near Pulau Natuna Indonesia's northernmost island in the South China Sea) for this purpose provided, among other things, firm resettlement guarantees are forthcoming from third countries.
cc(with encs)
Mr V McGee, FAO Dept, ODM Mr Katzaros, MVD
Mr Humfrey,
SEAD
Mr Quantrill, HK&GD
P Morgan
for
I thy haven - to see N Williams 0.12.
UN Department
PA
Discussed with Arthorgan: I said
that, from the Hong Kong point of view, if a workable system for a regional centre could! be devised, this would be welcome news. But CONFIDENTIAL it was not really for us to comment
on the mechanics
W. Chantill 31/1