TNAG-0879-FCO40-1089-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 23

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REFERENCES

NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES

HOW MANY VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES ARE THERE IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA AWAITING RESETTLEMENT?

1. The UN High Commissioner for refugees estimates there to be

some 65,000. Most are in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand with

smaller numbers in other countries in the region.

There are, in

addition, about 134,000 refugees in Thailand who crossed overland

from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

A

HOW MANY REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO THE UK?

2. About 1,400 so far, of whom over 1,000 are Vietnamese.

further 1,500 Vietnamese former boat refugees will be admitted to

Britain over the next 12-15 months (1,000 from Hong Kong and 250

each from Malaysia and Thailand). This will be in addition to

any refugees rescued by UK-registered ships for whom resettlement

places elsewhere cannot be found.

HOW DO THE GOVERNMENT INTEND TO DEAL WITH THE NEW PROBLEM OF LARGE VESSELS, EACH CARRYING THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES?

3.

national community.

their full support.

It is a matter not for one country but for the whole inter-

The High Commissioner for Refugees will need

Britain is playing its part.

14.