34
HO/FO 026/07
PP ECO
RK HONG AID
GRS 350
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 071030Z MAY 80
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 615 OF 7 MAY
HKK 24314
RECEIVED IN MCG VERY NO. 51 08 MAY 1980
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
حلام
PA
Away!
REGISTRY Action Taken
Aini 9/--
llio
Th ReUKIGS
NO DISTRIBUTION
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICES
FOR CLIFT FROM BARNES
She
PASSED BY C.O.D.]
PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING TO TAIN ORR: BATAAN RPC
FOR YOUR VISIT TO UNHCR GENEVA YOU SOULD KNOW THAT THE USCG
HAVE INFORMED US OF A CHANGE IN US POLICY REGARDING THE
BATAAN RPC.
2. BECAUSE OF THE UNLIKELIHOOD OF CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDING BEYOND
STAGE 2 THE US GOVERNMENT NOW PLANS TO USE BATAAN AS A LANGUAGE
TRAINING AND ORIENTATION CENTRE FOR HIGH CATEGORY REFUGEES WHO WILL
STAY FOR ONLY ABOUT THREE TO SIX MONTHS BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE
US FOR RESETTLEMENT. THE TEN THOUSAND PLACES IN STAGE 2 WILL
BE USED TO ACCEPT HIGH CATEGORY REFUGEES MAINLY FROM THAILAND
AND MALAYSIA.
3. AT THE SAME TIME THE USCG HAS ASKED THAT AN EXCLUSIVE
TRANSIT CAMP FOR 4500 REFUGEES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG
WHERE ALL OUR US BOUND REFUGEES WOULD UNDERGO AN INTENSIVE THREE MONTH LANGUAGE TRAINING AND ORIENTATION PROGRAMME DIRECTLY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE US, WITHOUT FEELING ABLE TO GIVE A FIRM GUARANTEE, BELIEVE THAT A MINIMUM OF 1,500 REFUGEES
PER MONTH OFF TAKE CAN REASONABLY BE ANTICIPATED FROM THE CAMP. THEY WOULD HOPE TO HOLD THIS LEVEL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND SEE THE PROGRAMME CONTINUING INTO 1981.
4. CONSIDERATION OF THIS PROPOSAL AND ITS DETAILS IS WELL ADVANCED WITH CONSULATE, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVERTING
AN EXISTING CAMP (E.G. ARGYLE 4) FOR THE PURPOSE. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONVERSION COSTS, WHICH ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE
EXCESSIVE, REMAINS TO BE RESOLVED. WE SHALL BE
DISCUSSING THIS SCHEME WITH UNHCR LOCALLY SOON. THE AIM WOULD BE
FOR LANGUAGE AND ORIENTATION TRAINING TO START IN THE CAMP
IN MID JUNE.
5. MEANWHILE THE TOTAL OF REFUGEES REMAINING IN HONG KONG
IS 40,788 (AT 7 MAY). WE STILL UNDERSTAND SECOND LST WILL ARRIVE EARLY NEXT WEEK AND TAKE ABOUT 500 TO BATAAN. NO OTHER
SIGNIFICANT NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
MACLEHOSE
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