TNAG-0886-FCO40-1096-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 115

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TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 639 OF 24 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,

: *

J31.5

MY TELNO 634 AND TELECON DAVIES/MCLAREN (HKGD): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: ''SIBONGA''.

1. IN THE CHANGED DIMENSIONS OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM HERE IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE FOR US TO APPLY THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE IN LANDING REFUGEES WITHOUT TAKING INTOR ACCOUNT THE AVAILABILITY

FO RESETTLEMENT GUARANTEES. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE NEED IN THIS CASE TO RELY ON THE POLICY SET OUT IN THE HOME OFFICE STATEMENT OF 17 JANUARY (RETRACT 322):

"'.....VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (IN COMMON WITH OTHER REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA ARE ACCEPTED FOR SETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM UNDER * TWO HEADINGS - EITHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME CONNECTION WITH THIS

COUNTRY, OR, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN RESCUED AT SEA BY A SHIP REGISTERED AT A PORT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THEY CANNOT BE ACCEPTED ELSEWHERE. (THE RECENT ARRIVAL OF REFUGEES PICKED UP BY MY WELL PARK CAME WITHIN THE LATTER CATEGORY),''

2. IN THE LIGHT OF $

A) NUMBERS ALREADY HERE:

B) UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS WITH UNHCR:

C) THE INCREASING RATE OF ARRIVALS (MY TELNO 637):

D) THE DIMINISHING RATE OF RESETTLEMENT (MY TELNO 635): AND E) CONTINUED PARTICIPATION OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN

ORGANISING THE EXODUS (MY TELNO 633 - NOT TO ALL),

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