TNAG-0558-FCO40-653-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 39

6.

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M Jaeger said that he had spoken with the US Consul-General and intended to press the Americans to

take off refugees more speedily from Hong Kong. The

Governor commented that the Americans had a massive

problem and we had tried to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on them. M Jaeger said that at least the Americans might be prepared to give the go ahead to the 200 cases who had individual sponsors in the States and would not have to go into camps. But in the long run progress was bound to be limited by the rate at which the refugees could be absorbed into American society and so far only some 40,000 had left the camps, while there was

still 80,000 refugees in them. The US Task Force was run by Miss Taft, a Presidential nominee, although Mr Wisner was the eminence grise.

7.

M Jaeger enquired whether it would help locally

if the UNHCR made a financial contribution towards the

upkeep of the refugees in Hong Kong. They could not take over full responsibility, but might be prepared to pay up to one-third of the per` capita daily costs, which he under-

stood were running at about HK 14 to 15. The Governor

said that he would like to take a rain check on this offer

and perhaps discuss it with the Executive Council. It was more important for the Hong Kong Government to obtain visas

for resettlement abroad than cash and we did not wish to

accept conscience money if this would limit the opportunities for resettlement elsewhere. M Jaeger said the money would come from UNHCR donor countries, e.g. the Danes and the Australians, but in both cases they had also been prepared to take refugees. The Governor said that we would keep in touch with Mr Jackson about the possibility of receiving

financial assistance from the UNHCR.

8.

Asked about morale in the camps, the Director of Immigration commented that the position was not yet serious, but there was a good deal of uncertainty, which could only be resolved if the United States were prepared to make a

clearer commitment. Mr Jackson concurred.

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