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is taking another 1,000. I have made it emphatically clear to the Malaysian and Thai Foreign Ministers that our scope for helping is limited by our obligations to UK Passport-holders and other rightful immigrants from the Sub-Continent, and to Hong Kong which has a burden of some 4,000 boat people whom it cannot absorb. But at Geneva I believe we must make an offer commensurate with our resources.
6. Goronwy Roberts wrote to Brynmor John on 5 October asking if your Department could accept a further 500 or 600 boat people, mostly from Hong Kong. But I am now convinced that we must do more. As a one-off response to the international problem, would you be prepared to admit a total of 1,500 people from existing refugee camps in proportions of 500 each from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand, over the next nine to twelve months? This would of course be in addition to our continuing readiness to accept responsibility for refugees rescued by UK-registered vessels (and I was grateful for your very prompt response over the Wellpark case).
7.
It would help if you could give me an answer as soon as possible so that officials can prepare for the Geneva meeting.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
6 December 1978
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Amin
(DAVID OWEN)
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