TNAG-0587-FCO40-720-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 190

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to think that there may be more chance of persuading the Home Office to give sympathetic consideration to re-settlement requests on an ad-hoc basis rather than to try to pin them down to a scheme which may have an open-ended commitment. have been arguing that, if there is any prospect of HMG's assisting with the problem of Vietnamese refugees, we should endeavour to relieve part of the burden on Hong Kong rather than on any other place (my minutes of 21 July at folio 76 and 29 July at folio 106). As you know, the Home Office are not unsympathetic

to the idea of considering applications for re-settlement from refugees aboard the "Ava" (FCO Tel No 584 to Hong Kong at folio 103) and, subject to further reports from Hong Kong about how many of these refugees are expdcted to go elsewhere, I propose to pursue this with the Home Office.

5.

Incidentally, you may have noticed that it has just been agreed that we should accept up to 75 Chilean refugee families in Argentina (Mr Tomlinson's Written Reply to Mr Ifor Davies' FLAG Question on 2 August). This will not have escaped the attention

of Hong Kong and they can be expected to continue to think that we should take some Vietnamese refugees who arrive in Hong Kong.

E.F. Milhi.

D F Milton

Hong Kong Department

FlogK

6 August 1976

copies:

Miss Elmes

UND K 152

Mr Mallett M & VD - CL 434

PS. UND have now recoured the fical versión

the UNHCR" scheme enclosed with Miss Elmor fellow of today to the Home office. It is Similiar to the shaft but provider for a lerr aquilaal

The UNDER' and is limited

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CONFIDENTIAL