TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 190

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DESKBY 14143OZ

FM FCO 141212Z JUL 79

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 542 OF 14 JULY

FOR GOVERNOR

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по ча? много

MY TELNO 541. AND YOUR TELECON WITH CORTAZZI: NEW U K QUOTA OF REFUGEES

DRAFT STATEMENT BY LORD CARRINGTON

1. NOBLE LORDS WILL BE AWARE OF THE DEEP CONCERN WITH WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS VIEWED THE RAPID DETERIORATION OF THE REFUGEE SITUATION IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA OVER RECENT WEEKS. THE SECRETARY- GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, DR WALDHEIM, HAS NOW CONVENED A SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL MEETING IN GENEVA ON 20 AND 21 JULY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMED THIS MOVE, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BY MY RT HON FRIEND, THE PRIME MINISTER. 2. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT IT IS THE CALLOUS AND INHUMAN POLICIES OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WHICH ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT CHANGE THOSE POLICIES. MEANWHILE, THE BURDEN WHICH THE FLOOD OF REFUGEES IS IMPOSING ON OTHERS IN THE REGION CAN BE RELIEVED ONLY BY A MAJOR AND GENUINELY INTERNATIONAL EFFORT.

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3. THE GOVERNMENT HAVE GIVEN VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE EXTENT OF THE HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS, AND IN PARTICULAR TO THE APALLING BURDEN WHICH IS BEING PLACED ON THE RESOURCES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG. THE UNITED KINGDOM IS PREPARED TO ACCEPT A FURTHER 10,000 REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA FOR SETTLEMENT HERE. BECAUSE OF OUR DIRECT CONCERN FOR THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG, THESE EXTRA REFUGEES WILL BE TAKEN, OVER A PERIOD TO BE/AGREED

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