GPS '200
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM NG KONG 310800Z DEC 79
TO PRIORITY GEORGETWON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2 OF 31 DECEMBER
AND TO ROUTINE F-CO UKMIS GENEVA
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
AKK 24311
RECEIVED IN REBSTAY NO. 51 3 1 DEC 1979
INDEX
ما
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RESETTLEMENT IN GUYANA.
J31.12
sion
WE HAVE SEEN AN AFP REPORT OF 23 DECEMBER THAT GUYANA IS WILLING TO ACCEPT UP TO 750 BOAT REFUGEES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA. GRATEFUL TO KNOW BACKGROUND AND WHETHER GUYANA WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF BOAT REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. WE HOPE THAT AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMONWEALTH GUYANA WILL TAKE A PARTICULARLY CLOSE INTEREST IN THE REFUGEE PROBLEM HERE.
2. WE ARE SENDING YOU BY AIRMAIL SOME BACKGROUND MATERIAL ON BOAT REFUGEES HERE. AS OF 31 DECEMBER THERE WERE STILL 55,656 HERE,
ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE REGIONAL TOTAL AND CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN
IN EITHER MALAYSIA OR INDONESIA.
3. GRATEFUL TO KNOW OF ANY WAYS IN WHICH GUYANA MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO TAKE AS LARGE A PROPORTION AS POSSIBLE OF THE 750 FROM HONG KONG. WE WOULD BE READY TO RECEIVE A SELECTION TEAM AT ANY TIME, BUT WOULD APPRECIATE AS MUCH WARNING AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN START ON PRE-SELECTION IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
IF SENDING A SELECTION TEAM SUCH A LONG DISTANCE PROVED DIFFICULT, SELECTION COULD EASILY BE DONE BY THE LOCAL UNHCR OFFICE
4. FOR FCO: GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SEND GEORGETOWN A COPY BY BAG OF ORR'S LETTER OF 9 NOVEMBER TO STITT, SEAD.
CATER
FILES
SEAD
HK & GD
UND
FED
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS DEPT
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MR STRATTON
LORD NG LENNOX
Two Quantats
Jay
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
Note: the Chare of H+CD phoned to
that our relations with Anyana were such that he did
feo intervention hot think wowed be productive. He is howeve convent for WL to proceed and are shall have to see what happen. Swichiam
airy
RESTRICTED
31.12.
1931
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