TNAG-0881-FCO40-1091-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 32

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FM OTTAWA 201430Z FEB 79

TELEGRAM NUMBER 195 OF 20 FEBRUARY

TO PRIORITY FCO

INFO UKMIS GENEVA

390

YOUR TELNO 348 TO WASHINGTON: PROPOSAL FOR AN ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. A MEMBER OF CHANCERY CALLED ON MISS EDELSTEIN, DIRECTOR,

UN SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS DIVISION, DEA, AND DISCUSSED THE CANADIAN REACTION TO THE UNHCR PAPER.

2. THE CANADIANS WILL BE REACTING POSITIVELY TO THE PROPOSAL FOR AN ISLAND CENTRE. ALTHOUGH AWARE OF THE DRAW-BACKS OF SUCH A SCHEME THEY CONSIDER THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THERE IS NO REAL ALTERNATIVE. THE ALLOCATION OF REFUGEES TO AN ISLAND CAMP SHOULD BE ON AN QUOTE INCREMENTAL UNQUOTE BASISV. AS WELL AS TAKING

NEW REFUGEES IT MIGHT ALSO TAKE PEOPLE FROM EXISTING CAMPS IN, FOR EXAMPLE, MALAYSIA TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW ARRIVALS THERE.

3. THE CANADIANS THINK IT UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT ANY COUNTRY TO OFFER HARD RESETTLEMENT GUARANTEES IN ADVANCE, BUT THERE SHOULD BE AGREEMENT AMONG ALL COUNTRIES SUPPORTING THE SCHEME

FOR HER PART CANADA WOULD AS ALWAYS MAKE HER QUOTE BEST ENDEAVOURS UNQUOTE TO HELP. ALREADY CANADIAN CRITERIA WERE BEING STRETCHED TO THE LIMITS PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF THE QUOTE KINSHIP UNQUOTE PRINCIPLE. IT WAS POSSIBLE THEY MIGHT ALSO AGREE THAT A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR QUOTA SHOULD BE FOR MOST NEEDY CASES.

THAT RESSETTLEMENT IS THE LONG TERM AIM.

4..

THE CANADIANS WERE ANXIOUS TO KNOW HOW WE WOULD HELP IF IT WAS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH SUCH A CENTRE. WE SAID THAT IF THE IDEA WENT AHEAD UK HAD NO DOUBT THAT THE UK (DESPITE ITS RESERVATIONS)

MOULD

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