GR 235
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
584
Hikk 243/1
No 8304
30
나
FM HONG KONG 271051Z APR 79
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.495 OF 27 APRIL,
INFO ROUTINE: OTTAWA, UKMIS GENEVA, H.K.GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
1.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : THE CANADIAN PROGRAMME.
see (592
THE CANADIANS PLAN TO TAKE SOME 500 TO 600 VIETNAMESE see 592)
REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG THIS YEAR (206 HAVE ALREADY LEFT). THEY ARE ONE OF THE FEW COUNTRIES WITH AN ONGOING PROGRAMME AND MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN COMMISSION SUGGESTED INFORMALLY TO US YESTERDAY (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT IN VIEW OF THE RECENT DRAMATIC INCREASE IN ARRIVALS THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE RESPONSIVE TO AN URGENT REQUEST, SUPPORTED BY THE U.K, FOR
NUMBERS TO BE INCREASED.
2. UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF YOU AND OTTAWA WOULD PRESS FOR EXTRA NUMBERS. 18,811 REFUGEES HAVE ARRIVED FROM 1 JANUARY TO 26 APRIL (INCLUDING 4,592 IN THE PAST 15 DAYS). ONLY 2,863 HAVE BEEN RESETTLED IN THE SAME PERIOD. IDEALLY, WE SHOULD LIKE THE CANADIAN PROGRAMME HERE TO BE TREBLED WITH ALLOWANCE MADE FOR INCREASES IN THE LIGHT OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. YOU MIGHT ALSO POINT TO OUR RECENT DECISION TO ALLOW ASHORE 573 REFUGEES FROM THE OVERCROWDED HA LUNG WHICH ARRIVED ON EASTER DAY, IN CONTRAST TO THE RECEPTION GIVEN TO SOME RECENT REFUGEE BOATS IN COUNTRIES IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA.
RESTRICTED
13.