CONFIDENTIAL
5
10. (contd)
(Annex III) a table showing the destinations of refugees resettled from Hong Kong. We are sorely in need now of the level of response from other countries that we had when the "CLARA MAERSK" arrived in 1975. Carpenter's presence here should help (and he has now been joined by an assistant from Kuala Lumpur): he hopes to persuade more refugees to apply for Canada (which will accept up to 5 families per month from Hong Kong) and thinks there are chances of getting Australia and France to offer more places to refugees here.
11.
The UK offer (para 1 above) makes it much easier for UNHCR and ourselves to argue the case for other countries helping. Given the degree of ministerial interest in the plight of the refugees (your telno 546) and the considerable increase in the burden on Hong Kong since the offer was made, we should be most grateful to know what the chances are of more refugees being accepted by the UK. We realise the problems of fixing any sort of Hong Kong quota, but it would help us greatly if further groups of about fifty could be accepted from time to time, perhaps two more by the end of the year. I should be grateful for your comments. Please let me know if you need any additional information to support this request.
CC
J Thompson Esq MBE
H K & G D
F CO
FED, F CO
SEAD, F CO
UKMIS Geneva
Chanceries :
Peking
Washington
Hanoi
(I C Orr)
Kuala Lumpur
H K Government Office, London
Encls:
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 240Page 241
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.