GR
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 220958Z JUN 79
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TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE.
TELNO.844 OF 22 JUNE,
INFO PRIORITY: UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
FOLLOWING FOR HKGD (TO PASS TO GOVERNOR).
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : MEETING WITH UNHCR.
1.
1180
MIFT CONTAINS STATISTICS UPDATING THOSE IN ENCLOSURE ONE TO THE BRIEF ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS COVER ADDITIONAL POINTS CONCERNING OUTSTANDING ISSUES WITH UNHCR. WE SHALL UPDATE THE JUNE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE STATISTICS ON
MONDAY.
ee (1180
1185
1196
**
?.
UNHCR HAVE NOW COMPLETED INTERVIEWING THE 648 NORTH VIETNAMESE IN THE VICTORIA RECEPTION CENTRE WHOM WE INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO CHINA. JUST UNDER 600 WILL BE ACCEPTED INTO UNHCR CAMPS FROM 25 TO 27 JUNE. FOUR HAVE BEEN REJECTED AND THERE ARE ABOUT FIFTY BORDERLINE CASES (MOSTLY FISHERMEN)
ON WHOM RASANAYAGAM HAS STILL TO TAKE A DECISION. ABOUT 150 LATER ARRIVALS HAVE ALSO BEEN PROCESSED AT V.R.C.
3. OF THE 14,399 UNDER UNHCR CARE ONLY 8,200 HAVE BEEN FULLY PROCESSED (1.E PRESENTED TO RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES),
4. WITH ASSISTANCE FROM IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, UNHCR HAVE
HIRED FOUR STUDENTS TO HELP IN PROCESSING DURING THE SUMMER
VACATION AND A FURTHER TEN TO FIFTEEN WILL BE INTERVIEWED ON
26 JUNE.
5.
RASANAYAGAM HAS BEEN TOLD THAT ONLY ONE EXTRA STAFF MEMBER WILL BE SENT FROM GENEVA BUT HAS NOW NEWS ABOUT WHEN HE WILL ARRIVE.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 6. RASANAYAGAM