nst Zambia
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ilar Questio ester- swer this Estion estion refers to a different incident. this incident of an the Tanzam railway, les from where any been, is an act of on perpetrated by a present Government e, against a friendly ry?
E: My Lords, the hentary contains a with which I would
remind the noble that a war is going world. We certainly Noble Lords will conference began ome 10 weeks ago ties to that war to re.
The Bishop's reed to that cease- es did not.
AMPSTEAD: My erstand the noble aying that, because it the war between bwe-Rhodesia and we-Rhodesia who rthrow the govern- f which they were rds, the forces of Mugabe-it is right mbabwe-Rhodesia s the bombing of hich in fact invites mbian forces? Is d is suggesting?
: My Lords, of ret that the war ly repeat that we to enter into a ning of the con- a party did agree Patriotic Front
MPSTEAD: My hoble Lord is not
LEY: My Lords, agree that, while important nego- the less these
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Rhodesia:
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[14 NOVEMBER 1979.), Actions Against Zambia - 1252
THE INDO-CHINESE REFUGEE
31 DPROBLÈM
matters are brought up (which we on certain sides of the House consider a irritations), the more smoothly the conference might go?
Lord TREFGARNE: My Lords, could not agree to condemn the actions of one side only. We regret all the military operations that are occurring in the war in that part of the world, and I can only say yet again, for the third time, that we have invited all the parties to enter into a cease-fire. If only they would.
My
Lord PITT of HAMPSTEAD: Lords, the noble Lord has not answered my question, because what I am asking him is is he aware that the bombing of the Tanzam Railway invites retaliation from the forces of Zambia, and therefore, in fact, could cause an escalation and an enlargement of the war?
Lord TREFGARNE: Yes, of course, my Lords. All military operations invite retaliation.
Lord DERWENT: My Lords, does the pursuit of this question really help matters at this particular moment?
3.2 p.m.
INord-SHEPHERD: My Lords, I beg Eave to ask a Question whichy stands in my name of the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to fulfil their commitment to take and resettle the remaining Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong within the next nine months.
Lord BELSTEAD: My Lords, the announcement by my noble friend the Foreign Secretary on 18th July of the Government's decision to take a further 10,000 Indo-Chinese refugees from Hong Kong indicated that the timetable of admission would be agreed with the governor, and fixed no particular period. In view of the situation in Hong Kong, the Government are anxious to admit these refugees as quickly as possible. The total received in October was well over 1,000. The future rate of intake will, however, be largely determined by the speed with which the refugees can be resettled in permanent accommodation. The machinery for handling the reception. and resettlement of these refugees has
Lord TREFGARNE: Not particularly. recently been strengthened by the forma-
Lord HATCH of LUSBY: My Lords, I must ask the noble Lord to answer my original Question. This has nothing to do with the Lancaster House Conference. This is an attack on a friendly Common- wealth country which is our friend, and which has been trying to assist the British Government in their mediations. Is this the attitude which the present Government take to the Commonwealth; that they
will allow and excuse an attack from another country on a friendly Common- wealth country, and call it nothing more than an incident?
Lord TREFGARNE: My Lords, I do not think that the noble Lord can have listened to what I said. Yes, of course, we regret that the Rhodesian authorities mounted this attack into Zambia, but we also regret the attacks mounted from Zambia into Rhodesia.
tion of the Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam, to which my right honour- able friend the Home Secretary has appointed Sir Arthur Peterson as chair-
man.
Lord SHEPHERD: My Lords, I am very appreciative of the full reply which the noble Lord has just given. May I ask the noble Lord whether his depart- ment, in particular, will consider with sympathy the suggestions which I believe are being made by the Hong Kong Government; that the officials who are looking into the credit of the refugees who wish to come to the United Kingdom should be strengthened, and should be able to remain in Hong Kong for longer periods than they have during 1979? Secondly, recognising that many of the refugees have very little knowledge of the United Kingdom-in the main, it is knowledge of the United States that they have is there not a case, in order to
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