TNAG-0884-FCO40-1094-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 72

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(6,000) NOT LATER THAN 1 JUNE. HOWEVER, BY ABOUT 7 MAY ADDITIONAL

PLACES WILL BECOME AVAILABLE IN EXISTING UNHCR CAMPS. WE WANT THE NEW ACCOMMODATION TO BE OCCUPIED BY REFUGEES AT PRESENT IN GOVERNMENT ACCOMMODATION (INCLUDING MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOR WHOM WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND ROOM IN PRISONS) AND GENERALLY SPEAKING IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. BUT MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING LONGEST HAVE COME VIA CHINA AND UNHCR'S LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES IS WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THEM.

8. IT MAY BE ARGUED THAT HARTLING WILL BE PURSUING THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER THEY CAN BE SETTLED IN CHINA DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING ON 14 MAY. BUT WE THINK THIS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UNHCR TO MAINTAIN AND PROCESS REFUGEES

PENDING THEIR RESETTLEMENT,

9. AMBASSADOR CLARK TOLD ME ON 26 APRIL THAT HE SAW NO DIFFICULTY

FOR THE AMERICANS IN PRINCIPLE IN ACCEPTING BOAT REFUGEES WHO HAVE SPENT TIME IN CHINA. THIS MAY NOT, AT PRESENT, APPLY TO ANY SHOWN TO HAVE CROSSED BY LAND FROM VIETNAM TO CHINA AND HAVING BEEN

THERE LONG ENOUGH TO BE RECORDED AS HABITUAL RESIDENTS. HOWEVER, ALL THE EVIDENCE WE HAVE SUGGESTS THAT THE NUMBER OF LAND-CROSSERS WHO REACH HERE BY BOAT IS VERY SMALL, AND CLARK MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE INTENDED TO BE LIBERAL ABOUT DOUBTFUL CASES. WE EXPECT IT WILL BE RELATIVELY EASY TO FIT ANY REFUGEES WHO ARE DIFFICULT FOR THE US INTO OTHER RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES. IN ANY EVENT, WHETHER THIS WILL BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM CAN ONLY BE ESTABLISHED ONCE REFUGEES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY UNHCR AND HAD THEIR CASES FOR

RESETTLEMENT PRESENTED TO ALL COUNTRIES OFFERING PLACES,

10. SINCE WE UNDERSTAND HARTLING WILL BE OUT OF GENEVA FROM 5 MAY

FORM SOME DAYS THERE IS SOME URGENCY.

MACLEHOSE

FILE S

HK & GD

J

UND

SEAD.

FED

SAD

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY

ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD

PS/PUS

SIR A DUTF

EID (E)

PUSD

OID

SIR A PARSONS

MR CORTAZZI

MR LEAHY

IPD

NEWS D MVD

MR MURRAY

3

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON

MR BURLEIGH .

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNO'S GATE

MR BIRT

HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE

CROYDON

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