GPS 205
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
EM HONG KONG 0310252 JUL
PRIORITY F.C.0.
TILEGRAM NUMBER 919 OF 3 JULY, 1979
INFO PRIORITY ROME, UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR AND BANCKOM VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: ITALIAN PROGRAMME.
(1282
Hki
HKK 243/1
Per
PA
1. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ITLAY IS CURRENTLY TAKING ABOUT 50 REFUGEES PER MONTH FROM MALAYSIA AND PERHAPS A SMILAR NUMBER
FROM THAILAND..
2. THE ITALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL HERE HAS SUGGESTED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE WILLING TO CONSIDER STARTING A PROGRAMME IN HONG KONG. HE ADDED THAT THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY RECENTLY IN THE ITALIAN PRESS ON REFUGEES IN HONG
KONG.
3
UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF ROME WOULD MAKE REPRESENTATIONS ON OUR BEHALF, DRAWING ON THE FOLLOWING
POINTS:
A. ITALY HAS ONLY TAKEN 5 REFUGEES (ONE FAMILY) FROM HONG KONG THIS YEAR, IF THE ITALIANS ARGUE THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO FIND ONE FAMILY WILLING TO GO TO ITALY, THEY COULD BE REMINDED THAT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT ARISE IN THE CONTEXT OF A REGULAR PROGRAMME COVERING, SAY, 20 FAMILIES A MONTH. B. IT IS UNFAIR TO PENALISE HONG KONG FOR MAINTAINING A PUMANE LANDING POLICY WHILE REWARDING COUNTRIES WHICH FAIL
TO DO SO:
:
reelizo
C. 60,000 REFUGEES AWAIT RESETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG, ONLY 5,000 HAVE LEFT SO FAR THIS YEAR, ABOUT 12 PER CENT OF THE ARRIVAL. RATE: WHEREAS MALAYSIA (WITH FEWER ARRIVALS) HAS HAD A DEPARTURE RATE THIS YEAR OF OVER 40 PER CENT.
MACLE HOS E
1296
!
PS/LPS PS/MR.HURE PS/MR.BLAKER
FILES
SEAD
NEWS D M & VD
HK & GD
PS
UNT
FED
EESD
N AM D
30
EID
FUSD
OID
IFD WED
PS/FUS
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS MR.CORTAZZI
MR.MURRAY MR. STRATTON
ADDITIONAL DISTN.
BOAT PEOPLE
CONFIDENTIAL
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