TNAG-0794-FCO40-998-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 125

GRS 500

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 131005Z DEG-HE

TO PRIORITY F C O

HKK 243/1

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for This is

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1432 OF 3-DECEMBER PYEN.

infuriating! Наз rep. in Geneva for

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, WASHINGTON What did Hong Kong INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDO Nove

INFO SAVING HANOI

| Origina! at: HKK 341/1

This Copy for:

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inaccurate advice!

Please folk with Mr. Humfrey,

YOUR TELNO RETRAGT 8261 2 AND UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 1 TO PEKING Infor. (NOT TO HONGAID): INDO-CHINA REFUGEES AND IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA. Parc(s)

HKK 341/1

SEAD

WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE REPORT THAT THE UK IS URGENTLY AND SYMPATHETICALLY CONSIDERING'' ACCEPTING MORE REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA, WE APPRECIATE THAT AT THIS STAGE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE

TO SUGGEST THAT THE BULK OF ANY NEW PLACES MADE AVAILABLE WOULD GO TO BOAT REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER, UNLESS ANY UK OFFER IS PART OF A GLOBAL SCHEME WHICH WILL MAKE ADEQUATE NUMBERS AVAILABLE FOR BOAT REFUGEES THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WE TRUST THAT MOST PLACES WILL BE FOR REFUGEES HERE.

2. IF WE ARE ASKED ABOUT THE STATEMENT THAT THE UK DOES NOT HAVE

''ANY AUTOMATIC COMMITMENT' TO TAKE BOAT REFUGEES IN HONG KONG,

WE SHALL POINT OUT THAT THIS IS NOT INCOMPATIBLE WITH HMG'S

ACCEPTANCE OF ''SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY'' FOR SUCH REFUGEES (FCO SPOKESMAN ON 15 NOVEMBER - COI RETRACT 32515).

3. INCIDENTALLY, THE PROBLEM WITH THE 4,000 OR SO BOAT REFUGEES

HERE AT PRESENT IS NOT THAT THEY CANNOT BE SETTLED 'ELSEWHERE''

(PARA 1 OF YOUR T U R), BUT THAT THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES

AVAILABLE MEANS THAT RESETTLEMENT WILL BE AN EXTREMELY LONG

PROCESS, CREATING DIFFICULTIES BOTH FOR THE REFUGEES AND FOR HONG KONG.

4. WE ARE NOT CLEAR ON WHAT BASIS THE FIGURE WAS REACHED OF

14,080 INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES' FOR WHOM HONG KONG HAS PROVIDED

TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT SHELTER SINCE 1975 (UKMIS TELNO 1). THE PRECISE FIGURES (SEE MY TELNOS 1480 PARAS 1 AND 2 AND 1409 NOTES

A AND C) ARE THAT, AT 7 DECEMBER :

A. 11,987 REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS (OF WHICH 228 BOAT

REFUGEES) HAD BEEN SETTLED IN HONG KONG :

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