TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 134

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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 539 OF 12 JULY

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA ROUTINE RANGOON

INFO SAVING HANOI.

LAST

REF.

NEXT

REF.

FOR ACTING GOVERNOR

26

UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 205 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT MINISTERS ON THIS

INITIATIVE,

р

2, ON THE ONE HAND WE THINK THERE ARE STRONG HUMANITARIAN REASONS FOR ACCEPTING UNHCR OFFER: AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR MINISTERS TO EXPLAIN OUR ATTITUDE IF YOU WERE TO RECOMMEND ITS REJECTION. ON THE OTHER HAND ACCEPTING THE REFUGEES EVEN PROVISIONALLY, MIGHT WEAKEN YOUR POLICY ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA: CAUSE YOU DIFFICULTIES LOCALLY: AND LEAD TO OTHER ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ADMISSION BY OTHER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. ONE POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE TO REPLY TO THE UNHCR SAYING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL ICEM REPRESENTATIVE OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF AIRLIFTING THE REFUGEES TO BURMA AND SUGGESTING THAT THE UNHCR MIGHT ADDRESS HIS APPEAL TO RANGOON. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS IMPROBABLE THAT THE BURMESE WOULD ACCEPT THE REFUGEES EVEN ON THE UNHCR'S TERMS AND THE MANOEUVRE COULD BE CONSTRUED AS A DELAYING TACTIC. 3. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS BY 0800Z, 13 JULY,

CRO SLAND

FILES

HKD (2)

SEAD

SAD

MR STANLEY

MR MALE

MR CORTAZZI

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