A
GPS 240
CONFIDENTIAL
"CO 1615057 JAN 79
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO 53 OF 16 JANUARY.
FOR GOVERNOR.
93
YOUR TEL NO 87: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
HKK 243/1
17 JAN279
No
ani
ZA
135
1. WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO MINISTERS THAT APPROACHES DE MADE IN.. CAPITALS TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE USA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRIA, THE IRISH REPUBLIC AND DENMARK IN AN EFFORT TO GET FURTHER RESETTLEMENT OFFERS TO HELP CLEAR THE BACKLOG IN HONG KONG. WE WOULD EXPECT YOU TO TAKE SIMILAR ACTION LOCALLY WITH CONSULS-GENERAL. ARE THERE ANY COUNTRIES YOU WISH TO ADD TO, OR DELETE FROM, THE ABOVE LIST? WE WOULD AT THE SAME TINE ASK THE UNHCR TO ENCOURAGE GOVERNMENTS TO SPEED UP THEIR PROCESSING OF REFUGEES TAKEN FROM HONG KONG.
2. ON TIMING, WE ARE NOT (REPEAT MOT) PROPOSING ACTION IN CAPITALS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE HOME SECRETARY'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 1,500 PLACES HERE. WE SHOULD PREFER TO WAIT EITHER UNTIL THE HUEY FONG HAS SAILED FOR TAIWAN OR UNTIL THE REFUGEES ABOARD HAVE DEEN LANDED IN HONG KONG. IF APPROACHES ARE MADE TO GOVERNMENTS WHILE THE VESSEL IS STILL ANCHORED OFF HONG KONG, THOSE COVERNMENTS MIGHT WELL TRY TO BARTER ANY RESETTLEMENT OFFERS AGAINST EQUIVALENT NUMBERS OF HUEY FOND REFUGEES BEING ALLOWED ASHORE. DUT IF WE WAIT UNTIL THE HUEY FONG GROUP HAVE LANDED IN THE COLONY, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE A WAVE OF SYMPATHY FOR HONG KONG'S IMMEDIATE DURDEN WHICH COULD RESULT IN BETTER RESETTLEMENT OFFERS BEING
MADE.
3. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
CVEN
FILES
UND
NEWS.D
MVD
HRYGD
P3
SEAD
PS | LOUD GOROMIY ROBERTS
FED
SAD
SIA A
DUFF
EID (8) PUSD
IPD
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MIL CANTA ZELA
NA WOIR.
WL HvQRAY
toples Ta! HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
LOMPON
HR BURLEIGH HOMG OFFICA
QUEEN ANNGS
GATE.
MM. Great Honk Office
CONFIDENTIAL
LUNAR HOUSE,
CRANDSON
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