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have been pressed very hard by the Secretary of State, the Lord Privy Seal, Mr Blaker and Mr Cradock to accept these refugees but there is no sign yet that the Chinese will do so. The Norse Viking's next port of call is in Japan. The Chinese have said that they will only allow the refugees to land against a guarantee from us to take them. The Embassy in Tokyo have pressed the Japanese hard to accept the refugees themselves but so far without success.
THE BRITISH RECORD IN TAKING REFUGEES
The following are counted by the Home Office as refugees accepted by the UK:
6.
In the UK at the fall of South Vietnam or accepted in the UK because of family ties:
a.
*
Vietnamese
Cambodians
Laotians
463 175
211
Total 849
b.
Refugees picked up by British ships such as the Wellpark as of 1 January 1978:
804
!
Other refugees covered by the 1500 quota set up by the
c.
last Government:
Totals
270
1537 Vietnamese
Į
386 Cambodians & Laotians
1923 Overall Total
d.
Outstanding Commitments
i.. Frem Sibonga.
1003
(some 50 to 60 of these may go to to the United States.
Some 300
are due to arrive in this country
early next week.
ii. Remainder of quota of 1500:
1230
The quota was allotted as to 1,000 from Hong Kong and 250 each from Malaysia
Comment
and Thailand.
7. At the Cabinet Meeting on 31 May the Prime Minister in summing
up said that while the quota of 1500 Vietnamese refugees should stand
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