TNAG-0883-FCO40-1093-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 13

ODE 18-77

Mr P Morgan

United Nations Dept

CONFILENTIAL

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

1.

Reference. Huck 243/...

4.

5540 LE NESIOTAY NO. 51

18 APR 1979

PA

no i ges

HY

Txer

I attach a copy of a letter dated 7 April from the Secretary for Security in Hong Kong. You already have copies of the correspondence referred to in it.

2. We should be grateful if you would let us know what should now be done. The Secretary for Security only asks for advice and this we must give, but it is also quite clear that UNHER have been so carried away by their Deputy Commissioner's verbal agreement with the Vietnamese Government so as to come to quite unrealistic conclusions. Should we not therefore also pursue with UNHER their restriction to 2,000 + 2,000 places for these people in Hong Kong?

3.

We know you are setting up a second round of approaches to potential recipient countries; is there anything we in this Department, or the Hong Kong Government can do to help?

17 April 1979

CONFIDENTIAL

Awikiemen

P J Williamson

Hong Kong and General

Department

553

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