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REGISTRY
10 AUG 1988
629
Y
147073
MDHIAN 9856
FOLLOWING IS RETRANSMISSION OF BERNE TELNO 136 TO FCO
RESTRICTED
FM BERNE
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 136
OF 050805Z AUGUST 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG
INFO SAVING GENEVA
(RETRANSMISSION)
KONG
565
OUR TELNO 133: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
1. WE HAVE NOW HEARD THAT A PROPOSAL WILL SHORTLY BE PUT TO THE FEDERAL COUNCIL (IE GOVERNMENT) THAT SWITZERLAND SHOULD, OVER THE NEXT 2 YEARS, BE PREPARED TO OFFER POLITICAL ASYLUM TO UP TO 1000 APPLICANTS FROM COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM. THIS CATEGORY WOULD INCLUDE VIETNAMESE FROM HONG KONG.
2. THE ALLOCATION OVER THE 4-YEAR PERIOD UNTIL NOW HAS BEEN 500. HALF OF THOSE PLACES HAVE BEEN FOR ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED APPLICANTS, THE REMAINDER FOR OTHER HUMANITARIAN CASES. THESE 500 PLACES HAVE BEEN FILLED.
3. THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS, IF THE FEDERAL COUNCIL APPROVE THEM, WOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE AND SEEM TO OFFER GREATER SCOPE FOR THE SWISS TO CONSIDER VIETNAMESE FROM HONG KONG, PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT PLACES WERE NOT FILLED WITH APPLICANTS WHO HAD A HIGHER PRIORITY. BUT WE SHOULD NOT PRE-JUDGE THE FEDERAL COUNCIL'S DECISION.
LONG
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
57
DISTRIBUTION
57
PS
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE MRMCLAREN
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NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
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