Foreign and Commonwealth Office
375
ME Head Esq Home Office
Queen Anne's Gate
LONDON SW1
Dear Michael,
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
London SW1A 2AH
HKK.243/1
12 February 1979
Mr Quad
my
0714/2
No
Jig/2 CE ΩΣ
солидей For comunga w 14/2
-NT.
1. Thank you for your letter of 2 February about the additional Vietnamese refugees you have agreed to take from Hong Kong.
2.
We thought it right immediately to bring the sentiments you expressed to Hong Kong's attention. We sent a personal telegram to the Political Adviser, who has replied explaining that the Colony is far from being inundated with resettlement offers. Hong Kong have had reasonably helpful responses from a small number of countries, but these are likely to help shift only about 2,800 of the 3,800 at present under the care of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' Office in Hong Kong. There are another 6,000 refugees in Hong Kong in need of resettlement. Three days ago the Political Adviser estimated that it would be realistic to expect another 15,000 refugee arrivals during the rest of this year. This under- lined the need for the British offer for both practical and political
reasons.
3. Since then, the SKYLUCK has turned up with 3,000 refugees and the TUNG AN with a similar number threatens to leave Manila for Hong Kong. I wonder whether the figure of 15,000 may not prove to be a gross under-estimate.
4.
I was interested to see Colin Birt's telegram 214 of 6 February to you which put the problem in perspective, and I was very glad to see from your reply of 8 February that you were able to agree to his proposed course of action.
5. I am sorry this misunderstanding arose. I have no doubt that Hong Kong, particularly after the events of the last few days, really do need every help we can give them, and very much appreciate the way you put yourselves out to agree to take the extra 1,000 refugees under a phased programme over the coming months.
yous err
Micht Simpris
MK O Simpson-Orlebar United Nations Department
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