Registry No.
URITY CLASSIFICATION|
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confider.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
VACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT letter
To:-
Brian Cartledge Esq
10 Downing Street
Type 1 +
FROM
Private Secretary
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
cot Esq
hn Chilcot Es
lome Office“
rtin Vile Esq abinet Office
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1.
The conference on Vietnamese refugees held in
Geneva on and 21 July was probably as successful as
we could have hoped in the circumstances. Dr Waldheim
was a good Chairman and his summing up has pointed the
way forward. He will be reporting to the UN General
Assembly in the autumn on progress.
2. The Vietnamese Government's responsibility for
what has been happening was brought out into the open
and properly criticised by many delegations. This led
to the Vietnamese undertaking to Dr Waldheim to halt
the outflow "for a reasonable time" while resettlement
of the refugees already outside Vietnam takes place.
The number of resettlement places available was more
than doubled to 260,000 and the funds at the disposal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
million
was increased by US$ 190,000. The Governor was able
to draw particular attention to the need for Hong Kong
to receive its fair share of resettlement places.
Longer-term problems undoubtedly remain, but the
conference fully demonstrated the value of calling as
many countries as possible together to discuss matters
of this kind.
3.
Arrangements are in hand for statements to be
made in both Houses of Parliament on 24 July summarising
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.