TNAG-0558-FCO40-653-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 25

Mr O'Keeffe

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Jayner

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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1.

We spoke about your manuscript minute on the Governor's letter SCR1/484/75 of 24 July attached below.

2.

I spoke to NAD but they did not think Helsinki a suitable venue at which to raise this problem. Their initial reaction is that we should await reaction from Washington to the Governor's letter of 24 July and see if the Americans can

give any firm dates for the removal of the refugees they have promised to take from Hong Kong. NAD did suggest, however, that if there is no early progress we might perhaps consider taking the matter up with the US Ambassador here in London.

3. One further reason for our not taking a stronger line with the Americans is of course our own performance. I have spoken to the Home Office (Mrs Belfall 2516 about the current position on the 71 cases which Hong Kong Immigration Department submitted last month (paragraph 7 of Mr Drace-Francis's letter SCR 1/4821/75 of 22 July). The Home Office has taken a definite decision that the 71 Vietnamese will be accepted, subject to clearance from the Security Services. This clearance should be received sometime next week.

4. I also asked whether or not the Home Office would consider taking any further refugees if Hong Kong is left with a hard core of refugees with no prospect of placing them in other countries Mrs Belfall said this would have to be further considered but the possibility of the UK accepting addi- tional refugees from Hong Kong had not been ruled out.

5. You may wish to delay your reply to Drace-Francis until next week and whave received definite confirmation that the 71 Vietnamese have been accepted. Meanwhile we can pursue the further point raised in paragraph 7 of Drace-Francis's letter, that of whether or not a number of ex-British territories in the Caribbean area might be prepared to take some refugees from Hong Kong.

CODE 18-77

1 August 1975

Shotton

A L Wotton

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department

I spoke to Mrs Beffall. Notwithstanding the above, the 1o. have art got taken a

definite decision back melin

2-3 weeks.

Champ

t 71; Mimiters shill conndering the matter, but the hoped to ring

Rearity clearance

Q

few days. BH James

11/8

CONFIDENTIAL

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