CONFIDENTIAL
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"
}
6.
3,000 people a day may now be leaving Vietnam under "official
auspices", over half of whom drown. Others try to leave
independently but risk interception by coastal patrols.
7. According to the UNHCR, 200,000 Indo-Chinese refugees have been resettled in 31 countries since 1975, but 300,000 people are still in the region awaiting resettlement (an increase of 100,000 since 1 January). The UNHCR is sending out 10,000 refugees a month' for resettlement. In 1978, 53,000 resettlement places were available;
partly as a result of consultations in December, there are now
125,000 places (10,000 a month).
1923
8. Over 200,000 Indo-Chinese await resettlement in Thailand, 80,000 in Malaysia, 58,000 in Hong Kong and 29,000 in Indonesia. The Americans and Chinese have accepted over 230,000 each for
settlement, the French have taken 51,500 (and have said they will take 5,000 more) the Canadians. 15,000, and Hong Kong 11,000.
United Kingdom had accepted 1,573 by 22 May and 350 other
Indo-Chinese.
9.
The
The Government have accepquota of 500 established
over 15000
5000 th
the mv Sibonga
(who may be offset as far as possible by the previous government). Refugees from the mv Roach Bank will be accepted, as the Taiwanese will not take them, and we may take six from the Norse Viking. The
my Ashford is in Singapore with 41 more.
THE UNHCR-VIETNAM AGREEMENT
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1
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The Vietnamese authorities are claiming that arrangements under
. an agreement of 30 May with the UN Deputy High Commissioner, to allow
people to leave Vietnam directly to countries of final settlement, show their willingness to cooperate with the world community This proposal only affects people who already have offers of settlement places from relatives abroad; at present levels of outflow the 20,000 to 30,000 who qualify equal about two weeks' flow of boat
people.
The That figures do not include the Cambodians who cross and recross the Thai frontier in large numbers, and whom the Thais, for a time, sent back. If there is famine in Cambodia, there may be a mass
migration of Cambodians seeking food.
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/SECURITY
CONFIDENTIAL