TNAG-0559-FCO40-654-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 42

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PS Law Gamby. Roets

Mr Male

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M. Male

OCT1975

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Mr. le for. Janvin - ? MUDIGAN

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

to see to them)

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1. At Sir D Watson's meeting on 13 October you expressed concern about the possible implications of the Home Office's condition that the admission to this country of 150 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong (Foreign and Commonwealth Office telegram No 779) should not involve the commitment of government funds. I mentioned at your meeting on 15 October that the implications are not as serious as we had feared.

2. On the transport problem bringing the Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom our asssumption that (as

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in the Chilean case) the Inter-governmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) should arrange for cheap air flights to this country and then recover the cost of these from UNHCR, has now been confirmed in principle by Hong Kong (Hong Kong telegram No VISA 69 of 16 October). At present the UK should be in a

strong position to seek some financial help from UNHCR, having just allocated £150,000 to their appeal for the resettlement and repatriation of Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees outside Indo- China (Foreign and Commonwealth Office telegram No. 315 to UKMIS Geneva).

3. On arrangements for reception and resettlement (which includes accommodation, interpreter facilities, clothing, medical examinations and help in seeking employment) in this country, follow-up action has already started. A meeting was held on 11 October

of the voluntary organisations concerned under the auspices of the Chairman of the British Council for Aid to Refugees (BCAR) at which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was represented by Migration and Visa Department. The meeting was called to plan the resettlement task in this country. The voluntary organisations were aware that no direct Government financial help will be available. However, official support

/will

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