TNAG-0891-FCO40-1101-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 128

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1597 OF 20 JUNE 1979,

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INFC ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG, OTTAWA INFO SAVING HANOI.

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MY TELEGRAM NO 1566: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG HAD MEETINGS ON 19 JUNE WITH :

(1) MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES, INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN REP ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN (D.NY) AND THE RANKING MINORITY MEMBER REP HAMILTON FISH (R. NY):

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(11) MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS CF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, INCLUDING THE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN REP LESTER WOLFF (D.NY), THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN . AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REP CLEMENT ZABLOCKI (D. WIS.), REPS SOLARZ (D, NY) AND STRATTON (D.NY) A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. THIS MEETING WAS FOLLOWED BY A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE: (111) SENATORS MCGOVERN (D.S DAK.) AND, BRIEFLY, JAVITS (D NY).

(IV) THE GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL ADVISER ALSO MET MEMBERS OF SENATOR

KENNEDY'S STAFF.

2. TO ALL OF THESE THE GOVERNOR STRESSED THE MASSIVE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM, NOT ONLY FOR HONG KONG BUT FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE, AND THE CONSEQUENT NEED FOR URGENT INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO ESTABLISH A CREDIBLE RE-SETTLEMENT PROGRAMME TO EASE THE BURDEN ON THE INVOLUNTARY HOST COUNTRIES BEFORE THEIR TOLERENCE SNAPPED. HIS PRESENTATION RECEIVED A SYMPATHETIC HEARING, REFLECTING CURRENT CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST IN THE ISSUE: THE HOUSE ON 18 JUNE AND THE SENATE ON 19 JUNE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS CALLING ON THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL TO CONVENE IMMEDIATELY AN EMERGENCY SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OR USE OTHER APPROPRIATE FORA, TO DEAL WITH THE REFUGEE CRISIS IN SE ASIA''. REP WOLFF TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE RESOLUTION HAD NOT MENTIONED SECURITY COUNCIL ACTION BECAUSE OF THE RISK THAT THE SOVIET UNION WOULD BLOCK ACTION THERE.

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