TNAG-0879-FCO40-1089-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 102

GRS 150

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

THE HAGUE 221719Z JAN 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

HK2243/1

PA

1198.

TELNO 28 OF 22 JAN

INFO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND UKMIS GENEVA

PA

Jsuli

No INFO SAVING CANBERRA WASHINGTON OTTAWA WELLINGTON OSLO BERNE VIENNA

BRUSSELS DUBLIN COPENHAGEN BONN BUENOS AIRES BRASILIA AND TOKYO'

YOUR TELNO 36 TO CANBERRA: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. WE TOOK ACTION WITH THE DIRECTOR FOR GENERAL AFFAIRS AT THE NETHERLANDS FOREIGN MINISTRY.

2. STUTTERHEIM SAID THAT THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT SYMPATHISED WITH THE DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG. THEY WOULD LIKE TO HELP: THERE WAS NO FINANCIAL OBSTACLE. THE 230-0DD VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ALREADY IN THE NETHERLANDS WERE HARD-WORKING AND GRATEFUL FOR WHAT WAS DONE FOR THEM, BUT NONETHELESS IT WAS PROVING VERY DIFFICULT TO INTEGRATE THEM. WHEN THEY HAD RESPONDED TO THE RECENT APPEAL OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TO TAKE MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, THE DUTCH HAD THEREFORE HAD TO TELL HIM THAT THE FIGURE OF 300 WHICH THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT FOR 1979 WAS ALREADY MORE THAN THEY COULD READILY ABSORB. THE NETHERLANDS COULD THEREFORE NOT AGREE TO TAKE MORE THAN THOSE 339.

3. STUTTERHEIM DID HOWEVER SAY THAT IF THE UNHCR INCLUDED REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN THE TOTAL OF 390 FOR 1979 THE DUTCH WOULD OF COURSE HAVE NO OEJECTION.

FCO PLEASE PASS TO SAVING ADDRESSEES

SYKES

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

FILES

UND

JK & GD

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD

PS/PUS

SHAD

1ED

CAD

STR A DUFF

MD (C)

HR CORTAZZI

FUND

MR WEIR

OID

ER HURRAY

1PD

XES D IND

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE MA BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE

MR BIRT

CONFIDENTIAL

LONDON

QUEEN ANNE'S CATE HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON