TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 103

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1221A)

GR 285

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

PA

FM HONG KONG 2806132 JUN 79

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.871 OF 28 JUNE,

INFO IMMEDIATE: WASHINGTON,

A Lkk 243/1

PRIORITY.: UKMIS GENEVA, UKMIS NEW YORK, TOKYO,

H.K.GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

GARR

MY TELNO.867: U.S PROGRAMME FOR REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.

see (1228)

1. THIS INFORMATION THAT THE AMERICANS HAVE MADE VIRTUALLY NO CHANGE IN THEIR QUOTA FOR HONG KONG DESPITE WHAT WAS SAID TO ME IN WASHINGTON IS VERY DISTURBING. QUOTAS FOR MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA ARE BOTH SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED EVEN THOUGH, ACCORDING TO OUR FIGURES FOR 1 MAY TO 15 JUNE, HONG KONG RECEIVED FAR MORE REFUGEES THAN EITHER OF THESE TWO COUNTRIES DURING THIS PERIOD. THE DIFFERENCE IF COURSE IS THAT MALAYSIA, AND TO A LESSER EXTEND INDONESIA, HAVE THREATENED TOUGH ACTION TO PREVENT REFUGEES LANDING, SUCH DISCRIMINATION IN FAVOUR OF INHUMANE TREATMENT MAKES HONG KONG'S POSITION INTOLERABLE.

2.

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AMBASSADOR CLARK (CO-ORDINATOR OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS) IS DUE IN HONG KONG BRIEFLY TOMORROW ON HIS WAY TO BALI. I WILL TRY TO SEE HIM AND ASK HOW THESE FIGURES SQUARE WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT THE U.S QUOTA WOULD BE ADJUSTED TO INTAKE AND WHAT I TOOK TO BE GENERAL AGREEMENT IN WASHINGTON THAT HUMANITY SHOULD NOT BE SEEN TO BE PENALISED. PROVIDING YOU SEE NO OBJECTION, 1 WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF WASHINGTON COULD REINFORCE THESE REPRESENTATIONS

WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

=

CONFIDENTIAL

3. I AM REPEATING