TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 176

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With HKK 243/1

SUBJ: BRITISH REQUEST THAT US ACCEPT MORE INDOCHINESE

REFERENCE:

1.

LONDON 10141

IN RESPONSE TO LORD CARRINGTON'S CONVERSATION ON THIS SUBJECT WITH THE SECRETARY MAY 21 REFTEL, PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING ON BEHALE OF SECRETARY IC LORD CARRINGTON OR APPROPRIATE SENIOR FOREIGN OFFICE CFFICIAL.

2.

IN

IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, ABOUT 362 REFUGEES A MONTH DEPARTED FROM LONG KONG (AND MACAU) FOR THE US, OUT OF AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 4,222 A MONTH WHO DEPARTED FOR THE US FROM EAST ASIA. IN MARCH, ABOUT 1,000 MOVED TO THE U.S. FROM HONG KONG, OUT OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 FROM THE REGION. APRIL AND MAY, BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF FUNDS UNTIL A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IS PASSED, THE US HAD TO CUT BACY MOVEMENTS TO 400 A MONTH FROM HONG KONG, OUT OF 5,000 A MONTH FROM THE REGION.

3. IN JUNE AND LATER MONTHS, IF FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, WE PLAN TO MOVE ABOUT 520 A MONTH FROM HONG KONG, OUT OF 7,202 FROM THE REGION. IF THE FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE IN JUNE

OR LATER MONTHS, THE See MOVEMENTS PLANNED IN EACH OF THOSE MONTHS WOULD BE ADDED. ONCE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, TO THOSE SCHEDULED IN LATER MONTHS.

L

ALTHOUGH MOVEMENTS FROM HONG KONG HAVE HAD TO BE LIMITED, THE USG HAS AUTHORIZED THE PROCESSING OF REFUGEES FOR ADMISSION TO THE US TO GO AHEAD. THE PROCESSING SITUA- TION IS AS FOLLOWS: UNDER THE CONDITIONAL ENTRY PROGRAM, FROM JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, THE USG PROCESSED ABOUT 3000 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. IN THOSE FOUR MONTHS, AN ADDI- TIONAL 202 WERE ADMITTED UNDER THE PAROLE PROGRAM. WITH THE END OF THE CONDITIONAL ENTRY PROGRAM FOR INDOCHINESE REFUGEES IN APRIL, THE USG AUTHORIZED THE PAROLE IN MAY AND LATER MONTHS OF 500 A MONTH FROM HONG KONG. OUT OF 7,002 A MONTH FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.

CONFIDENTIAL