TNAG-0587-FCO40-720-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 114

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ANNEX F

KURDISH REFUGEES

1.

In March 1974 the Government of Iraq set up an autonomous region in the north of the country comprising the three predominantly Kurdish provinces of Sulaimaniya, Arbil and Dohuk. This provided for a nominated assembly and an executive in Arbil, but reserved many matters, including an over-riding right of veto, to the central government. The Kurds rejected this solution and bitter fighting broke out between rebel Kurds and Iraqi troops. In March 1975 Iraq and Iran signed an agreement which cut off Iranian support to the rebel Kurds in northern Iraq and by the end of the month the Kurdish rebellion had collapsed. During April and May 1975 the Iraqi government resumed control over the territory formerly occupied by the Kurds. Large numbers of Kurds fled to Iran but later returned under amnesty from the refugee camps to their villages. Some 35,000 refugees are thought to remain in Iran. Some of the returning refugees were resettled in the south of Iraq, particularly those from the frontier areas. The Iraqi Government declared a further amnesty on 26 August 1976, valid till mid- October this year.

2. Through UNHCR requests were made to several countries (including the UK) in 1975 to help resettle a number of young, well educated Kurds, who did not wish to return to Iraq or settle in Iran. The Home Office are prepared to grant applications for settlement by Kurdish refugees who have a record of Crown service or some other connection with the United Kingdom which makes it appropriate for them to be given refuge here. So far we have given permission for 44 Kurds to come here (28 plus 16 dependants) and have granted refugee status to 18 Kurds already in the UK.

3.

HMG have publicly welcomed the agreement between Iraq and Iran and Ministers have assured the Iraqi government that we have given no support to the activities of rebel Kurds. Despite this the issue remains a sensitive topic in our bilateral relations with Iraq. It would not be to our advantage to discuss or comment on this subject at the Executive Committee meeting.

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