TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 134

in August 1978. However, we may have to include any

refugees which we accept after rescue by UK ship within our

overall commitment.

Among all the Representatives here present I am in a

unique position in approaching this problem, since the

United Kingdom is a country both of final resettlement, and,

in the territories of Hong Kong, of first asylum. Hong Kong,

with a population of

million in an area of hectares,

has seen the sharpest rise in the number of refugees in the

first half of this year of any of the coasts reached by the

by the boat people. From 1 January to 30 June 58,543

new refugees arrived: only 1,582 left. On 30 June 58,935

awaited resettlement. The latest figure I have is

Hong Kong will spend $US 100 million on Vietnamese refugees

in 1979. Resources in Hong Kong are stretched to the utmost.

But so far it has accepted all comers, and I hope that it

will be able to continue to do so. I am confident that as

the High Commissioner and his staff adjust to the new balance

of refugees, and strengthen their ability to process

refugees in Hong Kong, the rate of resettlement from Hong Kon

will rise to an appropriate balance with that from Indonesia,

Malaysia and Thailand, and other states of first asylum.

However, because of the pea acute situation in

Hong Kong, and the need to make an immediate impact on the

rapidly rising numbers there, my Government has decided to

allocate to Hong Kong the additional ten thousand places

which we are making available. The Government of Hong Kong

has also offered to acept for permanent settlement

ten thousand of those who have reached it direct from

Vietnam.

These commitments, which will of course depend on

/the willingness