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TELNO 001
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# REGISTRY 02 OCT 1985
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
INFO PRIORITY FCO
OUR FOLLOWING NOW REPEATED TO YOU, (ORIGINALLY OUR TELNO 308 TO FCOy
207
YOUR TELNO 507: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. I CALLED TODAY ON THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MFA, VERKADE,
AND SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED.
2. VERKADE SAID THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THE NETHERLANDS HAD ADAPTED QUICKLY.THEY HAD LEARNT DUTCH, BEEN DILIGENT IN SEARCHING FOR WORK AND BEEN FAR LESS OF A PROBLEM THAN OTHER REFUGEE GROUPS. REPLYING TO MY REQUEST, VERKADE SAID THAT THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT FOLLOWED STRICTLY A POLICY OF ENTERTAINING SUCH REQUESTS ONLY FROM UNHCR. THIS WAS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE DIFFICULTY OF HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN APPLICATIONS FROM MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. HE ADDED THAT IF SUCH A REQUEST FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG WERE RECEIVED FROM UNHCR, THE DUTCH AUTHORITIES WOULD CONSIDER IT SYMPATHETICALLY, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE GOOD RECORD VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAD IN THE NETHERLANDS. A POSITIVE RESPONSE, AND THE NUMBERS WHICH MIGHT BE ACCEPTED, WOULD ALSO DEPEND ON THE OVERALL NUMBERS OF REFUGEES ACCEPTED BY THE NETHERLANDS RECENTLY.
MARGETSON
MINIMAL
HKD
SEAD
UND
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COPIES TO:
MR. RAWSTHORNE
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR
HKGO.
HOUSE
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