TNAG-0893-FCO40-1103-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 189

CONFIDENTIAL

GX 175

NFIDENTIAL

FM NUNG KONG Ø31000Z JUL

TO PRIORITY F.C.C.

TELEGRAM NUMBER 912 OF 3 JULY, 1979

INFO PRIORITY THE HAGUE, UKMIS GENEVA,

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: NETHERLANDS PROGRAMME..

=243/1

1281

HKL 243/1

30. 31

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1. WE HAVE SEEN PRESS REPORTS THAT THE NETHERLANDS HAS DECIDED TO ADMIT AN EXTRA 1,000 REFUGEES. THE CONSUL-GENERAL HERE HAS TOLD UC HE UNDERSTANDS THAT, AS IN THE PAST, UNHCR WILL BE ASKED TO RECOMMEND WHERE THE REFUGEES BE TAKEN FROM.

2. UNLESS YOU SEC OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF THE HAGUE WOULD URGE THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE NEW QUOT BE TAKEN FROM HONG KONG, MAKING THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

R. ONLY 16 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE

NETHERLANDS THIS YEAR:

D. IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO PENALIZE HONG KONG FOR MAINTAINING A HUMANE LANDING POLICY BY GIVING GREATER NUMBERS TO COUNTRIES

WHICH FAIL TO DO SO:

C. 60,000 REFUGEES AWAIT RESETTLEMENT IN HONG KONG, ONLY 5,000 HAVE LEFT SO FAR THIS YEAR, ABOUT 12 PER CENT OF THE ARRIVAL RATE: WHEREAS MALAYSIA (WITH FEWER ARRIVALS) HAS HAD A DEPARTURE RATE THIS YEAR OF OVER 40 PER CENT.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

SEAD

NEWS D M & VD

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

NAM D

SAD

CID

PUSD

OTD

IPD

PS. PS/LPS PS/MR.HURD

PS/MR.BLAKER

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF. SIR A PARSONS

MR. CORTAZZI

MR. MURRAY

MR.STRATTON

ADDITIONAL DISTN.

BOAT PEOPLE

CONFIDENTIAL