TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 72

House of Lords

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION

for ORAL

answer on....

WEDNESDAY 4 JULY

S.E. A.

Department

Please submit your draft reply (normal maximum 50 words) through an Under-Secretary and the Private Secretary to M. Blake

Parliamentary Unit WS8A

to reach this office by NoOW ON THURSDAY

28 JUNE

The draft reply should be accompanied by full supplementary and background material: see Diplomatic Service Procedure Volume 5 for guidance. Text of Question as follows:

*The Lord Shinwell - To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any action has been taken by the Security Council of the United Nations against the Government of Vietnam to prevent the compulsory exodus of many people who have lived in that country for years.

No. The responsibility of the Vietnamese Government is undeniable for the exodus, which involves so much hardship and death for the victims and poses grave problems for the countries of South-East Asia and Hong Kong, where the boat people make landfall. However, our own efforts have been deyoted to ensuring

under by the

that a special conference is convened urgently under United Nations.

auspices [to deal with the whole problem posed by the refugees,

including the urgent need to relieve the countries of first refuge of their enormous burden]

4