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TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NUMBER 200 OF 4 JUNE 1975 INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG PEKING ROUTINE CANDERPA SINGAPORE (SAIGON UNIT)
UKMIS NEW YORK WASHINGTON
REF
NEXI
YOUR TELNO.379: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONGL
UNHCR INVOLVEMENT,
WOULD
176 189
1. SUBJECT TO THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG, WE WOULD SEE ADVANTAGE IN A TEMPORARY UNHCR PRESENCE IN HONG KONG ALONG THE LINES JAEGER
PROPOSED AND SHOULD KADRY SO RECOMMEND. THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN
SETTLING REFUGEES IN E.G. AUSTRALIA.
2. WE SEE SOME RISK OF THE UNHCR APPROACH TO THE PRG RESULTING IN
PRESSURE FOR PRG REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG BEFORE WE HAVE BEEN
ALLOWED TO RE-OPEN EMBASSY IN SAIGON AND BEFORE PROPER CONSIDER-
ATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER A PRG PRESENCE IS
DESIRABLE IN HONG KONG. WE RECOGNISE, HOWEVER, THAT THE UNHCR MAY WISH TO CONSULT THE PRG ON VIETNAMES REFUGEES GENERALLY AND KNOWLEDGE
THAT THE PRG HAVE BEEN CONSULTED IN THE HONG KONG CASE MIGHT REMOVE
POLITICAL OBJECTIONS IN SOME POTENTIAL RECEIVING COUNTRIES. WE
THEREFORE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE UNHCR APPROACHING THE PRG BUT.
HE SHOULD KNOW THAT WE WOULD RESIST ANY PRG ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A
PRESENCE IN KONG KONG ON THE BACK OF THE UNHCR EFFORT. IN DOING SO
YOU SHOULD RELY ON THE ARGUMENT THAT A PRG PRESENCE WAS NOT
NECESSARY IN CTHER PLACES WHERE UNHCR TEAMS HAVE BEEN SENT E.G.
GUAM AND SINGAPORE.
.3. WE REGARD IT AS VERY UNDESIRABLE FOR THE UNHCR TO SPEAK TO THE
CHINESE WHO HAVE NO LOCUS STANDI ON. THIS ISSUE. WE DO NOT OURSELVES
THINK IT NECESSARY TO RAISE THE QUESTION WITH THE CHINESE BUT IF
THEY WERE TO MAKE ENQUIRIES OF THE POLITICAL ADVISER, IT MIGHT BE
APPROAPRIATE FOR HIM TO GIVE SIMILAR ASSURANCES TO THOSE JAEGER
PROPOSES SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE PRG.
CALLAGHAN
FILES
COPIES TO:
HKIOD
SEAD
FED
NAD
MR MALE
MR HAWLEY
UND
PS/LD GORONWY-ROBERTS MR CAMPBELL
MVD
MR WILFORD
MR WEIR
SWPD
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