TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 260

CYPR CAT A

PRIORITY

FM FCO 141330Z

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HKK 243/1

243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51 17 JUL 1973

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DESK OF IGER

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REGISTRY Action Teen

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ear FA 243/1

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 546 OF 14 JULY

INFO HANOI UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON KUALA LUMPUR PEKING

YOURTELNO 873; REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM

PA

115

1. THERE IS WIDESPREAD SYMPATHY HERE FOR THE PLIGHT OF QUOTE BOAT PEOPLE UNQUOTE WHO PREFER TO RISK ESCAPE BY SEA, RATHER THAN CONTINUE TO FACE LIFE IN VIETNAM. MINISTERS HAVE ALLUDED TO THEM IN PARLIAMENT. WE COULD NOT CONTEMPLATE AN APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AIMED AT GETTING THEIR GOVERNMENT TO RESTRICT THE FLOW OF REFUGEES, ALTHOUGH WE RECOGNISE THAT SOME REFUGEES MAY COME TO GRIEF IN THEIR SEARCH FOR A FREER LIFE,

2. NONETHELESS WE DO NOT OVERLOOK THE HEAVY BURDEN WHICH THE PRESENT SITUATION PLACES ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND WE CONTINUE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THE GOODWILL SHOWN BY HONG KONG IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM. WE SHALL CONTINE TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, TO SECURE THE RELOCATION OF REFUGEES AWAY FROM HONG KONG, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

OWEN

FILES SEAD

UND

HK 9 GD FED MVD

NEWS D

PS.

PS / LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

pe Pus

SIR A DUFF MR CORTAX-7-1. MR MURRAY MR WEIR

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