CONFIDENTIAL
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GPS 400
CONFI TIAL
FM F C O 02123OZ MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE JAKARTA
TELNO 55 OF 2 MAY
INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, BANGKOK, MANILA, UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON.
FROM CORTAZZI
MIPT
610
FOLLOWING IS TEXT:
MY DEAR AMBASSADOR.
HKK 243/1
THANK YOU FOR CALLING TO SEE ME ON 1 MAY TO DISCUSS THE FORTH-
COMING MEETING IN JAKARTA ON YOUR GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL TO SET see (627
UP AN ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE FOR REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA.
1 EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO INDICATE OUR POLICY UNTIL A NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES OFFICE AFTER 3 MAY, BUT THAT MEANWHILE I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THE VERY REAL DIFFICULTY WITH WHICH WE WOULD BE FACED IF HONG KONG WERE EXCLUDED FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL. SUCH AN EXCLUSION WOULD MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM COULD GIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE
PROCESSING CENTRE..
THAILAND, MALAYSIA AND HONG KONG ARE THE THREE MAJOR DESTINATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA FOR THE REFUGEES, DESPITE ITS OWN SERIOUS PROBLEMS OF OVERCROWDING, HONG KONG HAS BEEN PROMINENT IN GIVING PRACTICAL AND HUMANITARIAN AID. THERE ARE AT PRESENT OVER 23,000 REFUGEES IN THE TERRITORY, OF WHOM ONLY 6,000 ARE UNDER THE CARE OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES. OF THE REMAINDER ABOUT 14,000 ARE AWAITING ACCEPTANCE BY THE UNHCR, AND MORE THAN 2,600 ARE STILL ON BOARD THE SKYLUCK.
IN ADDITION HONG KONG HAS, SINCE 1975, ACCEPTED FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT ABOUT 10,500 FORMER RESIDENTS OF INDO-CHINA, AND HAS A CONTINUING FLOW OF IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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