TNAG-0878-FCO40-1088-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 40

GPS 170

RESTRICTED

FM OTTAWA 172205Z JAN 79

TELEGRAM NUMBER 37 OF 17 JANUARY

TO PRIORITY FCO

JANU

31

YOUR

AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

RESTRICTED

"

243/1

HKK 243

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.1

19 JAN 1979

DESK OF CER

INDEX

PA

No

Mali CLE

YOUR TELNO GUIDANCE 1: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES OFF HONG KONG.

154

1. MR CULLEN, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION, ANNOUNCED

YESTERDAY THAT CANADA WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE FROM 300-400

REFUGEES FROM LAND CAMPS IN HONG KONG ON CONDITION THAT

REFUGEES FROM THE QUOTE HUEY FONG UNQUOTE ARE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK.

THE CANADIAN INITIATIVE IS A HUMANITARIAN GESTURE DESIGNED TO

OFFER A SOLUTION TO THE PRESENT DEADLOCK WITHOUT ENABLING THE

QUOTE HUEY FONG UNQUOTE REFUGEES TO QUEUE-JUMP.

2. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MR CULLEN IS GENUINELY EXERCISED BY THE

APPARENT INACTIVITY OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND

HOPES THE CANADIAN OFFER WILL BE MATCHED BY OTHERS SO AS TO ENABLE

ALL THE REFUGEES ON THE QUOTE HUEY FONG UNQUOTE TO BE

DISEMBARKED. THE NUMBERS TAKEN BY CANADA WOULD COUNT

AGAINST THE EXISTING QUOTE OF 5,000 PA.

3. THE DEA HAVE TOLD US THAT A FORMAL APPROACH WILL BE MADE TO THE-

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHORTLY.

FORD

FILES UND

COPIES TO

PS

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

HX & GD

SEAD

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD

MR BURLEIGH

HOME OFFICE

FED

PS/PUS

SAD

SIR A DUFF

MR BIRT

EID (E)

MR CORTAZZI

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON

FUSD

MR WEIR

OID

MR MURRAY

IPD

NEWS D

MVD

NAD

RESTRICTED.