TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 149

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TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO.1056 OF 2 SEPTEMBER 78, INFO UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, WASHINGTON.

MEETING ON INDO-CHINA REFUGEES.

1. THE U.S CONSULATE-GENERAL HAS ASKED US, ON INSTRUCTIONS, IF

WE WOULD SUPPORT AND ATTEND AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING TO DISCUSS, ON AN **INFORMATIONAL AND EXPLORATORY BASIS'', THE PROBLEM OF

INDO-CHINA REFUGEES. THE MEETING WOULD BE HELD, WITHOUT PUBLICITY, IN KUALA LUMPUR ON 20-21 SEPTEMBER UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES DURING MR HARTLING'S VISIT. THOSE TO BE INVITED ARE ASEAN COUNTRIES,

THE U.S, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, CANADA, F.R.G (REPRESENTING THE E.E.C), A SCANDANAVIAN COUNTRY (PROBABLY DENMARK), SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, A LATIN-AMERICAN COUNTRY AND THE U.K (BECAUSE OF HONG KONG). THE AMERICANS SAY THE PROPOSED MEETING HAS THE SUPPORT OF UNHCR AND THAT THEY EXPECT REPRESENTATION WOULD MOSTLY

BE BY LOCAL HEADS OF MISSION.

2. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. THE U.S EMBASSY WILL BE APPROACHING YOU AND ASSUME THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER IN KUALA LUMPUR WOULD

REPRESENT THE U.K AT THIS MEETING. WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN ALSO HAVING DIRECT REPRESENTATION FROM HONG KONG (PARTICULARLY AS MR HARTLING WILL NOT BE VISITING HONG KONG DURING HIS TOUR OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA UKMIS GENEVA'S TELNO.676 TO YOU, NOT TO ALL). IF YOU AGREE, WE THEREFORE PROPOSE TO SEND RON BRIDGE, THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, AND PAUL PUI, ALSO OF IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT

Wha

3. GRATEFUL IF UKMIS GENEVA AND/OR KUALA LUMPUR WOULD KEEP US INFORMED OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MEETING.

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