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FM MANILA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 330
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Repeat to HIC.
cony to Mr Paul
OF 05081OZ SEPTEMBER 90
SEAD.
140
162002 MDLIAN 8425
Foll
INFO PRIORITY ESC LONDON, UKMIS NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, BAGHDAD.
PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT TO IRAQ.
нивого 126
F. F
SUMMARY
1990
1. FOREIGN SECRETARY MANGLAPUS HOPES SOME OF THE PHILIPPINE WORKERS' EVACUATED FROM KUWAIT WILL FIND JOBS IN HONG KONG AND THAT FOOD AND MEDICINE CAN BE SENT TO THOSE STILL IN KUWAIT. HE CLAIMS THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY THERE IS UNDER PRESSURE TO CLOSE AND IS NOT PERFORMING CONSULAR FUNCTIONS. HE QUALIFIES PRESS REPORTS THAT HE HAS OFFERED TO MEDIATE IN THE CRISIS.
2. DETAIL
I CALLED TODAY ON FOREIGN SECRETARY RAUL MANGLAPUS MAINLY TO CHASE UP OUR PROPOSAL TO TRANSFER 5000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG TO A NEW REFUGEE TRANSIT CENTRE HERE (MANILA TELNO 315 NOT TO ALL). HE SAID HE WOULD TRY TO PUSH THIS THROUGH THE RELEVANT CABINET COMMITTEE. IN FACT THAT COMMITTEE IS SO TIED UP WITH DISCUSSIONS ON A CEASE FIRE WITH COMMUNIST INSURGENTS (AND ON THE GULF CRISIS) THAT IT MAY TAKE TIME TO FOCUS ON OUR REQUEST. I URGED MANGLAPUS TO SPEED THINGS UP SINCE OUR OWN DEADLINE FOR THE TRANSFER IF APPROACHING. I HOPE TO SEE JUSTICE SECRETARY DRILON, THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
3. MANGLAPUS QUICKLY TURNED TO THE SUBJECT WHICH MUST BE UPPERMOST IN HIS MIND, NAMELY THE EVACUATION OF SOME 40000 FILIPINOS STILL REMAINING IN KUWAIT AND IRAQ. AFTER ALLOWING FOR DEPENDENTS, THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST 20,000 SKILLED WORKERS WHO WOULD NEED JOBS. MANGLAPUS ASKED WHAT THE CHANCES WOULD BE FOR SOME OF THEM TO GET JOBS IN HONG KONG. WAS THERE A QUOTA FOR EACH COUNTRY FOR IMMIGRATION INTO HONG KONG? WOULD THERE BE ANY OFFICIAL IMPEDIMENTS AND COULD WE FACILITATE VISAS?
4 I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF HONG KONG COULD GIVE ME THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS. THE DFA UNDER SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AFFAIRS, ISRAEL BOCOBO (WHO WAS PRESENT AT THIS MEETING) REFERRED TOGETHER WITH
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