GRS 165
RESTRICTED
FM THE HAGUE
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 308
RESTRICTED
OF 27152OZ SEPTEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG, UKREP BRUSSELS
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 MANY DIFFERENT
HEMERENT 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.
FROM
MARGETSON
MINIMAL
HKD
SEAD UND
COPIES TO'.
MR. RAWSTHORNE
HOME OFFICE. LONAR HSE
HKGO.
୮
нкс 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
30 SEP 1985
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
RESTRICTED
REGISTRY
Cer
Action Taken
237