TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 39

Mr Weir

Mr Green

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cc: PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Mr Hawley (MVD)

SEAD

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ASSISTANCE FOR REFUGEES IN INDO-CHINA

Problem

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1. Mr Etherington-Smith, Chairman of the Asia Committee of the Standing Conference

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of British Organisations for Aid to Refugees, has written to Mr Luard. He makes four points:

a) that HMG should respond favourably to the appeal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the UNHCR programme in Indo-China;

b)

that some of the voluntary organisations plan to arrange a joint programme to bring relief assistance to refugees in Thailand and would welcome the opportunity to discuss their plans with FCO/ODM with a view to asking for aid;

c) that HMG should consider accepting some refugees from Thailand into the UK; and

d)

that HMG should encourage other governments to give temporary shelter to Vietnamese refugees who have left Vietnam on boats and who have been refused entry at various ports of destination.

Background and Argument

2.

Points (a) and (b) above are matters for consideration by the Minister for Overseas Development. Mr Prentice has in fact already informed UNHCR that HMG is unable to make another special contribution to the UNHCR appeal. Point (c) is for the Home Office.

3.

Point (d) above is particularly difficult for us because of our responsibilities "in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government feel, with a good deal of justification, that they have done much for Vietnamese refugees. They accepted over 4,000 last year after the fall of South Vietnam while arrangements were made for their permanent resettlement (most eventually went elsewhere, particularly to the United States, but some remained in Hong Kong). They have also had to absorb 4,000-5,000 Vietnamese who have since made their way to Hong Kong illegally. More recently, they have allowed 16 Vietnamese, picked up by a British ship, to land in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government face special difficulties because they have been obliged since late 1974 to return Chinese illegal immigrants to China owing to the intolerable strain they were creating on essential services in the Colony. Hong Kong has also

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