GPS 205
- CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG 0309452 JUL 79
IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 917 OF 3 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PARIS
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
1280
HKK 243
- RTR
3
PARIS TELNO 373 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: FRENCH PROGRAMME.
1. WE ARE CONCERNED BY INDICATIONS FROM PRESS REPORTS AND REFTEL PARA 10 THAT THE LATEST FRENCH INTAKE OF 5,000 REFUGEES WILL BE ONLY FROM MALAYSIA AND THAILAND.
see 126
2. GRATEFUL IF FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS COULD BE MADE TO PERSUADE FRANCE TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION FROM HONG KONG. POINTS
WORTH MAKING ARE :
A. SO FAR THIS YEAR, FRANCE HAS TAKEN ONLY 30 REFUGEES FROM EON XUNG:
3. IT IS UNFAIR TO PENALISE HONG KONG FOR MAINTAINING A HUMANE LANDING POLICY WHILE REWARDING COUNTRIES WHICH FAIL TO DO SO:
C. 60,960 REFUGEES AWAIT RESETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG. ONLY 5,000 HAVE LEFT SO FAR THIS YEAR, ABOUT 12 PERCENT OF THE ARRIVAL RATE: WHEREAS MALAYSIA (WITH FEWER ARRIVALS) HAS HAD A DEPARTURE RATE THIS YEAR OF OVER 40 PERCENT.
3. THE FRENCH CONSUL-GENERAL HERE HAS TOLD US THAT HE IS RECOMMENDING A QUOTA FOR HONG KONG. THIS SHOULD NOT REPEAT NOT BE MENTIONED IN REPRESENTATIONS MADE IN PARIS OR LONDON.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
ADDITIONAL DISTN,
SEAD
HK & GD
UND
FED
EESE
NAM D
SAD
EID
PUSD
OID
1FD WED
NEWS D M & VD
PS
PS/LPS PS/MR.HURI PS/MR. BLAKER PS/FUS
SIR A DUFF.
SIR A PARSONS
•
MR. CORTAZZI
MR. MURRAY MR. STRATTON
BOAT PEOPLE
CONFIDENTIAL