TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 219

THE PRIME MINISTER

10 DOWNING STREET

SEAD

as Supp

1063

fr

12/n'

LPS

HKK 243/1 Ps/pus

Sin A Duff

11 June 1979

RECEIVED

DESK OF MIDEX

No

8206

MR. ĆENTAZZI MR. MuRcons PED

Манеко

UND

Thank you for your letter of 24 May about the

implications of the increasing flow of refugees in South-East

Asia.

I recognise, of course, the plight of these unfortunate

people as well as the depth of concern which Airey Neave must

have felt about the problem. The issue cannot be solved

without the greatest possible co-operation by the international

community as a whole and you will have seen that I have recently

taken steps to encourage this. So far as this country is

concerned, you will also by now be aware that we have decided,

on humanitarian grounds, to admit those refugees who have

recently arrived in Hong Kong on board the MV Sibonga. The task

of receiving and caring for these distressed people is a

considerable one and I have asked the Home Secretary to make the

necessary arrangements for this as a matter of urgency. I

understand that his officials have already been in touch with

you and I warmly welcome the arrangements which you have been

able to make to receive some of the refugees from the MV Sibonga

in the near future.

(signed)

M.T.

(sgd) M T

Miss Joyce Pearce, M.B.E., M.A.