TNAG-0879-FCO40-1089-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 36

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GR 150

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FM VIENNA 2512062 JAN 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 29 OF 25 JANUARY

INFO GOVERNOR, HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA

INFO SAVING HANOI

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 36 TO CANBERRA: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES,

PA

1. ACTED TODAY WITH RESPONSIBLE MFA OFFICIAL (HEAD OF ASIAN AND AFRICAN DEPARTMENT). ULLMAN ASSURED ME AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT WAS ENTIRELY SYMPATHETIC, BUT IT HAD JUST DECIDED IN DECEMBER TO TAKE 100 MORE REFUGEES (HAVING TAKEN ABOUT 250 PREVIOUSLY) FROM MALAYSIA AND THAILAND WHERE AUSTRIANS BELIEVED PRESSURE WAS GREATEST. CANDIDATES FOR THIS QUOTA HAD ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY, THIS WAS INTENDED TO BE FOR DEPENDANTS OF THOSE ALREADY ACCEPTED, ANY FURTHER QUOTA WOULD REQUIRE A FRESH GOVERNMENT DECISION, WHICH ULLMAN THOUGHT IT UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT AT PRESENT. AUSTRIA FELT IT WAS NOW UP TO SOME OTHER COUNTRIES TO DO THEIR BIT. HOWEVER, HE WOULD TAKE NOTE OF THE HONG KONG PROBLEM AND SEE IT WAS CONSIDERED IF A FURTHER QUOTA BECAME POSSIBLE.

FCO PASS ALL.

MORGAN

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

FILES UND

HK & GD

PS

SEAD

FED

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

PS/FR LUARD

PS/PUS

SAD

SIR A DUFF

EID (E)

MR CORTAZZI

PUSD

OTD

IPD

BNS D MVD

MR WEIR

MR MURRAY

COPIES TO

DONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

MR BURLEIGH

HOME OFFICE

MR BIRT

QUEEN ANNE'S CATE

HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON

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