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DESK OFFICŁA INDIX
31
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 240302Z MAY 79
PA
non Tæmon
по
J31.5
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.628 OF 24 MAY,
INFO PRIORITY: UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
1.
ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : HARTLING'S VISIT TO CHINA.
THE ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER HAD A BRIEF MEETING WITH
HARTLING'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, VIRENDRA DAYAL, WHO TRANS ITTED
HONG KONG ON HIS WAY BACK FROM CHINA. DAYAL SAID THAT HARTLING HAD PUT A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE AND THAT ON DEPARTURE
THE WIFE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD ASSURED HIM THAT THESE WOULD BE PASSED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A REPLY
WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
2. DAYAL DID NOT GO INTO DETAILS BUT THE LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENT-
ATIVE (PLEASE PROTECT) SAID THAT ALMOST ALL THE DISCUSSION IN CHINA WAS ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES COMING TO HONG
KONG. HARTLING HAD ASKED IF CHINA WOULD BE WILLING TO RUN A CAMP IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE FOR THESE REFUGEES WITH UNHCR PAYING U.S
DOLLARS 1 PER DAY PER REFUGEE.
3. DAYAL SAID HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG. HE WOULD RECOMMEND AN INCREASE IN STAFF FOR THE LOCAL UNHCR OFFICE. HOWEVER, HE VOLUNTEERED THAT FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS WERE A MAJOR ELEMENT IN UNHCR'S RELUCTANCE TO GIVE A COMMITMENT OVER THE CARE
AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. A.P.A
WARNED HIM THAT THE CRISIS IN REFUGEE ARRANGEMENTS HERE WAS
DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO BREAKING POINT. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR UNHCR
TO EXPECT HONG KONG:
(A) TO BE THE ONLY PLACE IN THE REGION WHERE UNHCR REFUSED
TO ACCEPT REFUGEES INTO THEIR CARE AND FAILED TO RESPOND
QUICKLY TO OFFERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW CAMP SITES:
CONFIDENTIAL
K(B)