TNAG-0559-FCO40-654-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 69

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PS Astley Esq

SEAD FCO London

४

Dew Philip,

RELINES IN

REOMS.RY NO. 51

- 6 OCT 1975

HKKC68/S

NEXT

REF.

(311)

R&R ༢༠༥

14. 8/1/4 304

7/

BRITISH EMBASSY,

HANOI

24 September 1975

< to HRIOD (Mr Jahorin)

Consular Dont

(Mr Bristow )

(Mr Hurt has sean)

Enter

gja.1.0

1.

As you will know, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, the High Commissioner for Refugees, arrived here on Friday. I have not met him but I am hoping to do so. towards the end of the week.

and

2. Before he arrived, Darrell Han, the local UNHCR Representative, Dr Casella, who was concerned with the abortive exercise to take British passport holders from Saigon to Hong Kong, came to brief me on the present state of affairs on the Vietnam/refugee scene. According to Casella, they have dropped any idea of reintroducing flights between Saigon and Hong Kong. I understood that part of the reason for this was the intransigence of the Saigon authorities but part was their fear that the Hong Kong authorities might again try to force them to take out returnees to Saigon. Incidentally, the first I heard of this exercise was from Casella and I am very glad I did because had I not known of it, I could very easily

A copy have been put into a most embarrassing position with the PRG authorities. of this letter goes to Drace-Francis and I should be very grateful if in future he been indirect interest to me.

would make sure that I am reasonably au cœurant with matters like this which are of all slony.

I don't follow this,

Hana has

3. According to Casella, a steady trickle of Hong Kong Chinese are going by the Air France plane which now plies fairly regularly between Saigon and Bangkok. According to him, there is an average of 60-80 seats available on these flights He was rather vague as to every week and the Hong Kong Chinese are using them. what, if any, administrative difficulties are placed in the way of the Hong Kong belongers in Saigon but believed that something like 20-30 were leaving every week. He believed that only 200-250 Hong Kong Chinese were left in South Vietnam but had no firm evidence to support this. I may have more to report after (if) I meet Prince Sadruddin later this week, and after I have spoken to the PRG representative.

yous

ya

euer

John

J A B STEWART

cc: C D S Drace-Francis Esq

Hong Kong

CONFIDENTAL