TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 60

WIDENTIAL

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNTIL

UNDER FOI

EXEMPTION NO.3.8.

2.MAIDEEN WAS SCATHING ABOUT JNHCR FLIGHT ON 26 JUNE WHICH

TOOK 107 REFUGEES OUT OF HO CHI MINH CITY. EVIDENTLY UNHCR

BANGKOK PRESS RELEASE WAILED THIS AS FIRST FLIGHT OF NEW WHHCR

SCHEME FOR ORDERLY DEPARTURE OF REFUGEES. IT WAS IN FACT THE

FOURTH UNHCR FLIGHT THIS YEAR IN A SERIES OF SUCH FLIGHTS DATING

BACK TO 1976. ALL PASSENGERS WERE FAMILY REUNION CASES WHO HAD

LONG SINCE RECEIVED EXIT VISAS AND PERMISSION TO ENTER COUNTRIES

OF DESTINATION. VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAVE NOW HANDED TO UNHCR

REPRESENTATIV LISTS TOTALLING 2760 NAMES FOR NEW UNHCR PRO-

THESER

GRAMME. OF THESE, 735 PEOPLE ARE FOR HONG KONG. MAIDEEN'S

ANALYSIS OF HONG KONG NAMES HAS REVEALED THAT 96 HAVE ALREADY,

LEFT VIETNAM UNDER OUR OWN HONG KONG BELONGERS' SCHEME THREE

HAVE DIED (TWO IN 1977): TWO HAVE PERMISSION TO ENTER HONG

KONG BUT BECAUSE OF TAX PROBLEMS HAVE NOT YET OBTAINED EXIT

VISAS: THE REMATULNG 674 HAVE PROBABLY NO CLAIM AT ALL ON

HONG KONG AND APPLICATIONS FROM MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN REFUSED

IN THE PAST.

FCO PASS ALL,

MARGETSON

AS REQUESTED]

CREPEATED AS

ADDITIONAL DISTN.

BOAT PEOPLE

FILES

NEWS D

SEAD

M & VD

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

N AM D

SAD

EID

PUSD

OID

IPD

PS

PS/LPS

PS/MR, HURD PS/MR. BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF · SIR A PARSONS MR. CORTAZZI MR.MURRAY MR.STRATTON

2

CONFIDENTIAL

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