TNAG-0558-FCO40-653-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 75

GRPS 180A PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCO 271515Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY KK 508/25).

30 JUN1975

222

TO PRIORITY HONGKONG TELEGRAM NO. 599 OF 27 JUNE

FROM HKIOD.

UBI

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

MEX:

REF.

223

1. MR K. CLARKE MP HAS PUT DOWN A QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER BY 2 JULY TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WHAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN TO THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT TO HELP FINANCE RELIEF FOR REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM NOW IN HONGKONG, WHETHER SUCH ASSISTANCE TAKES THE FORM OF A ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL PAYMENT, OR WHETHER FURTHER ASSISTANCE WILL BE FORTHCOMING IF NUMBERS OF REFUGEES REMAIN THERE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD.

2. WE ARE PROPOSING TO RECOMMEND A REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES;

''I WOULD REFER THE HONOURABLE MEMBER TO MY REPLY TO THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR HOWDEN YESTERDAY, I WOULD EXPECT THAT IF ANY OF THE REFUGEES REMAIN IN HONGKONG FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD, THEY WILL BECOME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT’’.

GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS, TO ARRIVE BY 3013002.

3. YOUR TELNO 621, PARA. 3. NO DECISION TO ADMIT ANY OF THE REFUGEES TO THE UK IS LIKELY IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. WE APPRECIATE THAT IT WOULD BE OF GREAT VALUE IF THE UK WAS TO ACCEPT SOME OF THE REFUGEES AND WE ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER TO RECOMMEND A FURTHER FORMAL APPROACH TO THE HOME OFFICE.

CALLAGHAN

FILES:

HKIOD (3)

FED

SEAD

NAD WED SWPD

UND

MVD

COPIES TO:

DISASTER UNIT ODM

MR. RAE FINANCE DEPT ODM HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR. WILFORD

MR. MALE

MR. HAWLEY

MR. CAMPBELL

MR. WEIR

CONFIDENTIAL

6 GRAFTON ST,LONDON.W1

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