TNAG-0884-FCO40-1094-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 149

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United Kingdom Mission 243/1

HKK

37-39 rue de Vermont 1211. Geneva 20

Telex 22956

Telegrams Prodrothe Geneva 3 APR 1979

Telephone 34 38 00 33 23 85

P Morgan Esq

UND

FCO

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51

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Our reference

Date

(569)

UN 618/4

20 April 1979

Cooling less and less helpful particularly ww respect of Hongkong - pl. see para 2 overleaf. As reported UND are seeking clarification from

He's position.

Jackarta on

SPECIAL PROCESSING CENTRE

Jwikianum

23.4.

see (608)

1. Please refer to para 4 of my letter of 30 March reporting the Ambassador's call on the Deputy High Commissioner. During his call yesterday on the High Commissioner to discuss Hong Kong, which is being reported separately, the Ambassador took the opportunity of raising the question of the special processing centre. Hartling, who was rather more positive than de Haan had been, (perhaps because of the impending increase of small- boat refugees) said that he would support this proposal if the Americans favoured it; but first UNHCR needed to have a clearer idea of the scheme before embarking on a feasi- bility study. Until they had, UNHCR could not estimate costs. Mochtar, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, had told him that it would be for 5-10,000 for a period of 1-3 years, but the Malaysians had said soon after that they wanted a centre for 50,000 so presumably they could off-load all their own cases. UNHCR were still waiting for a firm proposal from ASEAN, who were meeting at ambassadorial level on 15 May in Jakarta to discuss it.

2. Hartling commented that the project had its dangers and drawbacks. He was afraid that an imaginary island had already been created in people's minds and small boats landing on the Malaysian coast were being sent off in the direction of Indonesia in search of it, with tragic consequences. He also feared that once set up, the island would be a Mecca for all refugee boats in the region.

3. Dick Clark, the US Coordinator for refugees, was at present touring the area and would be returning via Geneva for discussions with UNHCR. He had proposed 2 transit camps of 5000 each in Malaysia. Mochtar will be in Geneva on 24 April and the Ambassador hopes to call on him. Also Ghazali, the Malaysian Interior Minister is to be in Geneva today and will be calling on UNHCR.

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