TNAG-0886-FCO40-1096-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 13

CONFIDANTIAL

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(vii) Latin America

We have also approached the Governments of Argentina and Brazil, ogin with a poor response. The US Refurce Coordinator has suggested that we should talk to other Latin American countries, particularly Venezuela, Colombia and Polivia. Mr Blaker will discuss this in Washington tomorrow and we shall send appropriate instructions to our Hissions in the light of what is agreed with the United States.

(viii) Australia, New Zeland and Canada

(ix)

Apart from the United States, Australia and Canada are the only countries with continuing resettlement programmes for refugecs from liong Kong. Australia. received a number of shipload. of refugees from Vietnam last year and will absorb by the end of this year some 16,000. The Foreign Secretary will be briefed to discuss this issue with Fr Peacock, the Australian Foreign Minister, who is due in London on 15 June. New Zealand in suffering from a sericus unemployment situation and has so far not been able to respond to the representations we have made, but the Prime Minister may wish to discuss the matter with Mr Kuldcon during his forthcoming visit to London on 11 June. We have been in close touch with the Canadians about refugees since the end of last year and they have been active in trying to focus international attention on the problem and have taken creditable muzbérs of refurecs (about 8,000 a year), considering their own economic difficulties.

Jaron

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Lord Carrington raised thin with Br Jonoda, the Japan Foreign Dinister, on 22 rigy, and Fr Lonoda admitted that the Japanese record in taking refugees he been bad tut