TNAG-0587-FCO40-720-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 220

GPS 265 CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAG

FM F C O 291805Z

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(FWB 341/1)

TO ROUTINE BRUNEI TELEGRAM NUMBER 139 OF 29 JULY 1976

INFO MANILA, SINGAPORE, KUALA LUMPUR,

INFO SAVING TO HONG KONG.

YOUR TELNO 180

-NOF

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

2 AUG 1976

HKK 2 3 4 541

109

1. THE POINTS IN YOUR LETTER TO THE SULTAN OF 19 JUNE ARE VALID AND COGENTLY PUT, MOREOVER AS THERE COULD WELL BE FURTHER ARRIVALS IN BOTH BRUNEI AND HONG KONG IN THE COMING MONTHS IT IS IMPORTANT FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW FOR THE CO-ORDINATING ROLE OF UNHCR TO BE GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE REGION.

2x

PLEASE THEREFORE WRITE AGAIN TO THE SULTAN MAKING THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL POINTS:

(A)

THE VISIT OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE US CONSUL GENERAL IN KUALA LUMPUR HAS ESTABLISHED THAT ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE PARTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR ADMISSION TO THE USA.

(B) THE UNHCR NOW IN EFFECT EXERCISES A CO-ORDINATING FUNCTION FOR THE RESETTLEMENT OF RECENT REFUGEE ARRIVALS FROM VIET NAM. (C) GOVERNMENTS ARE THEREFORE UNLIKELY TO BE RESPONSIVE

TO INDEPENDENT REQUESTS BY OR ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUAL STATES

TO ACCEPT FURTHER BATCHES OF REFUGEES.

(D) IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AFTER FURTHER CONSIDERATION, IT REMAINS CUR VIEW THAT THE ONLY REALISTIC SOLUTION FOR THE

CURRENT PROBLEM IS FOR THE SULTAN TO TAKE UP UNHCR'S OFFER OF ASSISTANCE (AS WE OURSELVES HAVE JUST DONE IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG) AND ACCEPT HIS REQUEST FOR A VISIT TO BRUNEI.

3. YOU SHOULD STRESS THAT AS UNHCR IS NO MORE POLITICAL THAN ANY OTHER SPECIALISED AGENCY (EG ESCAP IN WHICH BRUNEI PARTICIPATES AS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER) THERE IS NOTHING TO

SUGGEST THAT THE ORGANISATION IS NOT WELL DISPOSED TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT OF BRUNEI.

GROSLAND

FILES

SEAD

LIND HKD

MR CORTAZZI

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