PP CANBERRA
GR 163
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 292029Z OCT 82
TO PRIORITY CANBERRA
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 391 OF 29 OCTOBER,
273
INFO HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
(274
HKK 243 RV32887TY NO. 5
DESK ONCE? INDEX
PA
action
Ра
HONG KONG TELNOS 1238 AND 1239: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. PLEASE LOBBY AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AS RECOMMENDED IN TELEGRAMS
UNDER REFERENCE.
2. CLEARLY IN PRESENT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THE AUSTRALIANS MAY BE
RELUCTANT TO CONSIDER TAKING A LARGER NUMBER OF REFUGEES NEXT YEAR
TO ACCOMMODATE AN INCREASE FROM HONG KONG, BUT ALLOWING HONG KONG
(WHICH NOW HAS MORE BOAT PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY OF FIRST
ASYLUM) AN INCREASED PROPORTION OF CURRENT ADMISSIONS WOULD BE A
GREAT HELP.
3. THE AUSTRALIANS ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT WE HAVE TAKEN IN 16,500
VIETNAMESE SO FAR (THREE QUARTERS OF THEM FROM HONG KONG)
AND HAVE A CONTINUING POTENTIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE PICKED UP
BY UK SHIPPING. THE CANADIANS HAVE ALSO TAKEN OVER 14,000 BOAT
PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG SINCE 1975.
PYM
NNNN
LIMITED
SEAD
HKGD
SPD
UND
NEWS DEPT
PS/LORD BELSTEAD
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR URF
1
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