TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 71

5.

CONFIDENTIAL

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE H.K.G HAD REJECTED AN OFFER FROM FRANKFURT FOR 250 REFUGEES TO BE LANDED FROM THE HUEY FONG F

IMMEDIATE RESETTLEMENT. HOWEVER, THE H.K.G HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS AND ANY SIMILAR OFFERS MIGHT BE HELD AVAILABLE FOR THE REFUGEES IF THEY WERE LANDED AT THE SHIP'S FIRST PORT OF CALL. IT WAS LIKELY THAT FURTHER OFFERS WOULD BE MADE AND THIS

WOULD INCREASE THE CHANCES OF THE REFUGEES BEING ALLOWED TO LAND

IN TAIWAN.

6. THE H.K.G HAD TOLD HIM THAT, IF NECESSARY, REFUGEES OF

VIETNAMESE ETHNIC ORIGIN COULD BE FLOWN FROM TAIWAN TO HONG KONG

FOR PROCESSING.

7.

HE EMPHASIZED THAT HE WAS STATING THE FACTS AS HE KNEW THEM AND GIVING HIS OWN ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT PROSPECTS AND OPTIONS

FACING THE REFUGEES. HE DID NOT, THEREFORE, EXPECT ANY REPLY. THE REFUGEES' REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD SET UP GROUPS ABC ARD TO DISCUSS THE POSITION.

8. RASANAYAGAM'S REMARKS TO THE REFUGEES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY

HELPFUL. IT IS NOT CLEAR (AND HE HAS NOT RAISED THIS WITH US) TO WHAT EXTENT HE HAS CLEARED HIS LINES WITH HIS HEADQUARTERS. HE HAS PRIVATELY SHOWN HIMSELF TO HAVE CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY FOR OUR STAND. HIS REMARKS IN PARAS 3 TO 7 ABOVE SHOULD, THEREFORE, BE TREATED WITH DISCRETION AND NOT AT THIS STAGE DIVULAGED TO NON-U.K OR UNHCR OFFICIALS.

9.

TWO FURTHER POINTS EMERGED DURING THE MEETING:

HE

(A) THE REFUGEES' REPRESENTATIVES CLAIMED THEY DID NOT KNOW PRECISELY HOW MANY WERE ABOARD AND THAT THE TOTAL MIGHT BE CLOSER

RASANAYAGAM EXPRESSED INCREDULITY. TO 3,400 THAN TO 2,700. SUGGESTED THE REFUGEES PREPARE FAMILY LISTS WITH FULL PERSONAL

THIS WAS ON THE CLEAR DETAILS, INCLUDING RELATIVES OVERSEAS. UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS NO PROSPECT OF SUCH LISTS BEING USED TC INITIATE RESETTLEMENT PROCESSING FROM HONG KONG. HOWEVER, HE TOLD THEM IF THESE DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE RESETTLEMENT WORK COULD HE WOULD, PROGRESS QUICKLY IF THE REFUGEES WERE LANDED IN TAIWAN. HOWEVER, HAVE TO ASK THE H.K.G WHETHER IT WOULD BE PREPARED TO LET UNHCR RECEIVE SUCH LISTS.

/(B)

2 CONFIDENTIAL