RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 2008ØØZ APR 79
RESTRICTED
HKK 243/1
RECENLO is
2 4 APR 1979
1570
TO IMMEDIATE F CO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 475 OF 20 APRIL
No
85.4
Eee (60!
f
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE LONDON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
RESETTLEMENT IN U.S.
IE US
1. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE US CONSULATE GENERAL THAT
see
BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY DIFFICULTIES OVER THE COST OF PASSAGES AND GRANTS TO RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES A DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES FROM THE REGION BEING RESETTLED IN THE US IN APRIL AND MAY, VE
589 UNDERSTAND THAT SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM 1 JUNE, IT IS NOT CLEAR YET WHETHER WHEN THIS OCCURS IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE UP THE REDUCTIONS.
2. THE EFFECT OF THE REDUCTIONS IS TO RESTRICT DEPARTURES FROM HONG KONG FROM THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF 750 FOR APRIL AND MAY
TO 492 AND 380 RESPECTIVELY, AS MORE THAN 400 HAVE ALREADY LEFT
HONG KONG IN APRIL THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DEPARTURES THIS MONTH,
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY PROPORTIONATE REDUCTIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.
3. WE SHALL BE DISCUSSING THIS UNWELCOME DEVELOPMENT WITH AND
MAKING REPRESENTATIONS TO AMBASSADOR CLARK, THE US CO-ORDINATOR FOR
REFUGEE AFFAIRS ON 26 APRIL. WE SHALL ADVISE YOU OF THE OUT-
COME.
MACLEHOSE
FILE S
PS
Auto 2047 by GAG TO DEMO GENEVA
• WASHINGTO
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
i
KK & GD
UND
SEAD
FED
SAD
EID (E)
PUSD
CID
IPD
NEWS D MVD NGO
PS/LORD GORONWY
ROBERTS
MR BURLEIGH .
PS/HR LUARD
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
HR CORTAZZI
MR LEAHY
MR MURRAY
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE
CROYDON
RESTRICTED
LONDON