TNAG-0558-FCO40-653-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 46

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2. (contd)

Canada

The Canadians had taken 325, but were hoping to stretch their quota to 450.

Norway

The Norwegians did not initially favour taking any but Mr Jackson thought there was an excellent chance of getting them to accept up to 150 of the handicapped cases. The Scandinavian Liberals, although opposed politically to the former Vietnamese regime, had a soft spot for strong humanitarian cases. (I understand Mr Murphy of Immigration Department is considering this.)

New Zealand

Mr Jackson had been in touch with the new New Zealand Commissioner, who had pressed his Government to widen their policy and take some refugees from Hong Kong. (Mr Finney told me today that he had not yet had a reply From Wellington, which was a good sign, as it suggested they might be reconsidering their attitude.)

Australia

The Australians, having taken 208, were sitting back, but Mr Jackson understood that if they were approached again about the residue in Hong Kong, after those with connections had left, then they might be. prepared to take some more.

United States

Mr Jackson, like us, has received the clear message from the US Consulate General that they are likely to pick up not only the present case load of circa 1200 (about whom they have been dithering so long), but also most if not all of the residue. Mr Jackson speculated that if this was really their intention, could they not be pressed to take them all straightaway rather than in penny packets. I commented that a difficult choice of tactics faced us here. If we pressed the time factor with the Americans (i.e. urging them to take what they could as soon as possible), they might subsequently discontinue their efforts and we would be left with a larger residue, for whom we might have to make longer term arrangements involving capital expenditure; whereas, if the Americans took fewer now, but continued to take them on a steady basis, they might clear the whole residue and in the long run we would have no burden.

Mr Jackson agreed that perhaps there was no point in trying to press the Americans further just at the moment, so long as they continued to be euphoric about the long-term prospects about removing the residue.

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