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step, but unlikely to cope with the main problem of refugees pouring out of Vietnam. Mr Blaker had spoken to the Thai Ambassador and told him about the reactions of the people in Britain and he would be speaking similarly to the Malaysians. He agreed that UNHCR must be non-political. Between 800,000 and 1.2 million ethnic Chinese were potentially at risk and were being systematically pushed out. Information from refugees arriving in Hong Kong had revealed that this was a deliberate policy of the Government of Vietnam and if this continued the international community could be faced with a much bigger problem. In recent weeks it was not just ethnic Chinese, but also Vietnamese who were arriving in Hong Kong. The situation presented a dilemma because those who wished should be allowed to leave, but on the other hand compulsory expulsions had to be stopped. The world should work towards
a change in policy on the part of the Vietnamese. A conference was urgent and should be convened as soon as possible.
7.
Mr Hartling said he agreed with almost all that Mr Blaker had said. He referred to the IMCO/UNHCR appeal made during the December 1978 consultations and said he was very happy that the UK and others were prepared to give guarantees to take as a last resort those landed at first ports of call by ships of their own flag. He was pleased that the UK had taken the Sibonga contingent. Refugees under this category should be considered separately from those being resettled from camps. The Vietnamese were a good, hard-working people who adapted well, as witnessed by the island of Pula Bilong which was no more than a rock to which 60-70,000 refugees were clinging in appalling conditions, but were organising themselves in an admirable way.
He was deeply concerned by the situation in Hong Kong and since he had taken office his staff there had quintupled. He was looking forward to meeting the Governor next week. The accounts by refugees furnished to the Hong Kong authorities coincided with what he himself had heard from refugees when he visited China. Ironically, the Vietnamese situation was the very opposite of that in the GDR, another socialist state. Mr Hartling was in favour of a conference if it could lead to something. The family re-unification scheme (ie orderly departures) was one door UNHCR had tried to open, and the special processing centre (SPC) was an attempt to lengthen the pipeline.
8. Mr de Haan said that the scheme needed some perspective. Over 4-5 years a structure had been built up to cope with the problem, but the recent increase in numbers had outstripped progress made. The December consultations had re-established confidence and the chief result was the recognition by govern- ments of their responsibilities. He regarded orderly departure as a break-through, although it would not stop the flow. When people saw that a twice-weekly flight was leaving from Vietnam the climate would change. The scheme would build confidence
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