TNAG-0558-FCO40-653-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 86

BRITISH

HIGH COMMISSION

DK Timms Es

RECLIVED

REGISTRY No 52

27 JUN1975

NKK

RESTRICTED

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

18/25

80 Elgin Street, OTTAWA 4, Ontario

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Dept

FCO

London SW1

172

Dear Timms,

NEXT

REF.

2/3

20 June 1975

G16

ADMISSION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES TO CANADA

1.

Our tel no 299 of 30 May reported on the then position of Vietnamese refugees entering Canada.

2. To date 3161 South Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees have arrived in Canada. Of this total 2343 are related to Canadian citizens or landed immigrants and 818 have no relatives here. This latter figure includes 642 from the USA, 176 from South East Asia, including 119 from Hong Kong. Recently the numbers have slowed down and the reasons have been twofold.

3. Firstly there has been much press and parliamentary criticism of the decision to allow General Dang Van Quang to enter Canada. Numerous allegations of corruption have been made against Quang and the Immigration Minister, Robert Andras, is now deciding whether to revoke his entry permit. The Americans have so far shown no willingness to take Quang and the Canadians may be stuck with him. On top of this the immigration authorities permitted General Cao Hoa Hon to enter Canada and his presence is attracting further criticism. Both these figures were admitted by the same officer after a very brief interview in which he failed to discover the position which they had occupied in the Thieu regime.

That officer has been withdrawn to Canada.

4. The other complication arises from the practical difficulties which the Canadians are starting to experience in screening refugees. A number of false applications have been found and the whole process is now being pursued with greater care and resultant delay. Gavin Stewart, Chief Asia and Pacific Bureau, in manpower and Immigration has told me how efficient and helpful they found the Hong Kong authorities. Bangkok and other points are providing them with many more problems, and the Canadians may therefore increase the Hong Kong allocation, even if the overall ceiling of 3,000 non-relatives remains constant. However it will be some time before the position clears sufficiently for that decision to be made.

You

ނ

Emy Janel Parry

Emyr Junes Parry

Cc: PS Astley Esq

SEAD, FCO

Police Adviser, Hong Kong Chancery, Washington

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