TNAG-0886-FCO40-1096-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 161

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(contd)

ASEAN Processing Centre

6.

HE said he was concerned that Hong Kong might be cluded from the proposed Indonesian special Processing Centre (S P C). Anything which the US could do to ensure that funds would only be given if the centre tackled the whole regional problem would be very helpful. Ambassador Clark said it had been made clear to him that the ASDA countries vould decide on access to the S P C. The Indonesian Foreign Minister seemed personally to have no difficulty with access for refugees outside the ASEAN countries but his ASEAN colleagues differed. If the S P C remained at its initial limit of 10,000 it was hardly worth the trouble of setting it up. US surveys showed that the island could take many more. HE said he feared that the SP C could also make Hong Kong a more attractive destination since refugees would fear transfer to a remote S P C if they went first to Thailand or Malaysia and might prefer to avait resettlement from more congenial camps in Hong Kong.

Other Resettlement Places

A

The

7.

Ambassador Clark said one of his main assignments

When he vas to persuade other countries to do more. talked of Hong Kong's problems Members of Congress always asked what the UK was doing. In the long run the najority of refugees would probably go to the US but it would be of great assistance if the UK could make a greater symbolic contribution. More pressure was needed. on Japan, which had just agreed to take their first 500 refugees. Taiwan had recently agreed to take 1,000. feasibility of assisting Third World countries to resettle refugees should also be studied. II E referred to the large numbers of New Commonwealth and Pakistan immigration to the UK in recent years and said he feared the present programme of 1,500 (plus those rescued by U K vessels) would be seen as the UK's contribution this year. However, Ambassador Clark's points were well taken and he would report them to London. Dr Wilson said that the UK offer had not resulted in similar offers elsewhere.

8.

Ambassador Clark said the resettlement programme was becoming a considerable political issue since the budget for it had been doubled to US$560 million for the current fiscal year at the same time as social programmes vere being cut.

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