TNAG-0556-FCO40-651-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 23

E.R.

DRAFT

Confdential

IMMIGRATION: FOREIGN NATIONALS

VIETNAMESE & CAMBODIAN REFUGEES: APPROACH TO HIG BY UNHCR.

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1. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has sent a telegram

to HM Government which refers to the general situation of refugees from

Vietnam and Cambodia and estimates their number at "..well over 100,000"

The High Commissioner goes on to point out that many of the refugees

have been granted admission to neighbouring countries on a temporary

basis only and that they therefore require countries of durable settlemer

as soon as possible. His officials are at present assessing the

magnitude and composition of the caseload in the various countries

where the refugees are now are and he undertakes to inform those

governments he is now approaching so that some solution may be produced

in the case of those for whom voluntary repatriation would not be approp-

riate.

2.

The High Commissioner asks, as a matter of urgency, for some indica-

tion from H Government of how many of these refugees could be offered

durable settlement here. On the basis of the reply which is given, his

office would present specific proposals for consideration.

3% The purpose of this submission is to outline the information which

is so far available on the subject with a view to producing a proposed

reply to the High Commissioner's request for information which is now awaited. I

I

cant follow this. Rebels senothing has been

omitted.

4. On 6 April a charter aircraft arrived from Saigon at Heathrow

carrying 99 Vietnamese children and several accompanying Vietnamese

adults; Ministers had agreed that the Vietnamese should be admitted as

refugees on the basis of an undertaking of long-term responsibility for

them given by the Ockenden Venture, a constituent member of the British

Council for Aid to Refugees.....

Confidential.