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4.
It might be helpful for you to know that the UK has already taken 852 Indo-Chinese refugees. The following table gives the breakdown:
Refugees here when their countries fell and accepted as refugees
Cambodians
Laotians Vietnamese
Total
Refugees accepted from abroad
Small boat refugees
Those accepted on the strength of a tie or connection:
136
48
142
331
258
Cambodians
Chinese
Laotians
15
Lif
77
Vietnamese
167
Total
521
5.
The above figures do not include 42 refugees picked up by a British vessel in respect of whom we have recently given the Taiwanese an acceptance guarantee. In addition, we shall be accepting 61 Vietnamese refugees, who have no other opportunity of resettlement, from Hong Kong, and, at the special request of UNHCR, will be receiving in the next few days seven Vietnamese children from Malaysia.
6. We have recently heard from Hong Kong that the Americans, with UNHCR approval, have proposed an informal international meeting to be held on 20-21 September in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the Indo-Chinese refugee problem. This sounds a sensible idea and should at least provide an opportunity for Hong Kong's own special problems in this regard to be given some attention. Those to be invited are ASEAN countries and the main countries
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