TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 105

GRPS 220

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

THE HAGUE 201600Z AUG 79

(1594)

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 231 OF 20 AUGUST

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG -

INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON AND UKMIS GENEVA

GLOVES

HKK 243

+3/1

1

HONG KONG TEL NOS 1179 AND 1185: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: MV SOOSTERKERK.

1590 1593

A

21

IN FATE A..

୪

1. STUTTERHEIM, THE DIRECTOR FOR GENERAL AFFAIRS IN THE UFA, CONFIRMED TO COUNSELLOR THIS AFTERNOON THAT THE NETHERLANDS WOULD ACCEPT THE 61 REFUGEES. BUT HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT A PROPOSAL TO TAKE IN THEIR PLACE AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF REFUGEES ! ALREADY IN HONG KONG WOULD CAUSE DIFFICULTIES.

2.

see see 1600

ee/1600

STUTTERHEIM STRESSED THAT A SUBSTITUTION OF THIS KIND

RAISED AN ISSUE WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE DUTCH

INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES AND THROUGH IT TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MFA AND TO VAN DER KLAAUW (AT PRESENT ON LEAVE). HE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE RELUCTANCE TO SET THIS MACHINERY IN MOTION, GIVEN THE NUMBERS IN QUESTION. COUNSELLOR

POINTED OUT THAT AN ISSUE OF PRINCIPLE WAS INVOLVED: THIS MIGHT

BE THOUGHT TO BE SECONDARY TO BUREAUCRATIC CONSIDERATIONS,

STUTTERHEIM TOOK THE POINT BUT ASKED WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN ANY

PRECEDENT IN HONG KONG FOR SUBSTITUTIONS OF THE KIND NOW PROPOSED.

GRATEFUL FOR A REPLY FROM HONG KONG ON THIS POINT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE DUTCH ARE ANXIOUS TO COME TO A DECISION RAPIDLY, NOT LEAST SINCE THE COST OF ACCOMODATING THE REFUGEES IS BEING MET

BY NEDLLOYD.

TAYLOR,

}

FILES

SEAD

PS

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

NAM D

SAD

MAED

EID

PUSD

OID

IPD NEWS D MVD. wed

PS/LPS. FS/MR HUND PS/MR BLAKER

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

SIR A PARSONS

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY MR STRATTON

LORD NG LENNOX

HR FERGUSSON

MR FRECVELL

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION BOAT PEOPLE

CONFIDENTIAL

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