CONFIDENTIAL
2,600 refugees on board the SKYLUCK, which arrived in Hong Kong
in February, have still not been allowed to land. Tough new
legislation has been introduced and a number of those involved
with the HUEY FONG operation (including the ship's captain) have
been charged under it. We have made strong representations to the
Vietnamese authorities. Those measures seem to have had some effect
but there is little that can be done about small boat refugees.
7. The resettlement of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong is the
responsibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), but the resettlement programme is proceeding very slowly:
since 1 January fewer than 3,000 refugees have left Hong Kong for
permanent resettlement elsewhere and only 6,000 of the present total
are under UNHCR care. We have brought pressure to bear on the UNHCR
to pay more attention to Hong Kong and have also made direct
representations to some 20 potential host countries, so far with
generally disappointing results. In addition, it was announced
in January that the United Kingdom would admit 1,000 Vietnamese
refugees from Hong Kong to this country for permanent settlement.
We are also supporting the UNHCR in his search for an international
solution to the problem. Among other ideas under discussion is a
plan proposed by the ASEAN countries to set up a "processing centre"
for Vietnamese refugees on an island which the Indonesian Government
have offered to make available for this purpose. This will be the
subject of a separate submission.
Hong Kong and General Department
8 May 1979
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4.