BY ONE COUNTRY IS IN A UNI-VE POSITION,
WE HAVE A PARTICULAR
RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, WHICH HAS TAKEN ALL THE REFUGEES
WHO HAVE REACHED ITS SHORES. WE INTEND TO ACCEPT GUR SHARE Q
REFUGEES FOR FIHAL SETTLEMENT. WE SHALL TAKE INTO DRITAIN OVEN
THE COMING MONTHS A FURTHER TEN THOUSAND REFUGEES, AS THE UNITED
NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES HAS REQUESTED. SUBJECT
TO THE APPROVAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT, WE SHALL
ALSO TAKE AVAILABLE A FURTHER FIVE MILLION POUNDS OVER THE
NEXT TWELVE MONTHS FOR DEALING WITH THE PEFUGEE PROBLEM.
BECAUSE HONG KONG'S RESOURCES ARE ALREADY STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT,
AND THE NUMBERS OF REFUCEES THERE HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE,
WE SHALL ALLOCATE ALL OUR PLACES TO HONG KONG. I HOPE THAT
OTHER COUNTRIES WILL ALSO COMIT THEMSELVES TO DOING MORE FOR
HONG KONG, WHICH NOW HAS EARLY ONE THIRD OF ALL BOAT REFUGEES
IN CAMPS IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA.
LE SHOULD WORK OUT EFFECTIVE PROGRAMIES FOR THE RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES IN DEVELOPING AS WELL AS MORE OF. THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. MANY OF THE REFUGEES COULD MAKE A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
PROSPERITY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BUT WE RECOGNISE THAT THESE
COUNTRIES WILL REQUIRE FINANCIAL AND OTHER ASSISTANCE IN
PESETTLEMENT.
WE MUST RASSERT THE ACCEPTED PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL BEHAVIOR
GOVER ING TEMPORADY ASYLUS FOR PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE IN DANGER,
AND THE UPLIGATION TO SAVE LIFE AT CEA. THESE PRINCIPLES WERE
NOT DESIGNED TO CUPE WITH A MAN-MADE DISASTER OF THE SIZE WE
ARE NOW WITNESSING, IT IS NOT SURPRISING IF THEY HAVE BROKEN
DOWN HERE AND THERE UNDER THE PRESSURE OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN
ENDLESS INFLUX OF REFUGEES. BUT WE MUST UPHOLD AND REASSERT
THEM AS BEST WE CAN IF WE ARE TO PRESERVE THE FABRIC OF CIVILISED
INTERNATIONAL LIFE. THE RESPONSIBILITY FALLS NOT ONLY ON THE
COUNTRIES OF THE AREA, AND THE CAPTAINS OF VESSELS IN THE SEAS
ATOUND VIETNAL. IT FALLS ALSO ON POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES
BECAUSE THESE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE HARD TO FULFILL UNLESS
PESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES ARE ADEQUATE.
MF SECREATRY-GENERAL
*
T AN ACUTELY JUNSCIOUS OF THE EXPECTATIONS
RICE THIS CONFERENCE HAS AROUSED - AVTONE THE PEOPLE OF CHINA,
SOUTH-EAST ASIA, AND HONG KONG: AMONG THE REFUGEES: AMONG THE
GOVERNENTNS WHICH NOW SUPPORT THEM. 15 OVE THESE PEUPLE A CLEAR
SIGNAL THAT RELIEF IS ON THE WAY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT HE SHALL
DISPERSE WITHOUT COUCH A SIGNAL.
FCO PLEASE ADVANCE COPY TO RIDGEON OID, FCO
MACINNES
[ ADVANCED AS REQUESTED]
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