TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 175

GR 460

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 160235Z AUG 79

Seef187

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1164 OF 16 AUGUST, 1979

HKK 243/

BED IN REG: 16 AUG

OFFICE

INDEX

PA

विवि

1576

INFO PRIGRITY HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA AND

WASHINGTON.

VISIT OF UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES

13/15 AUGUST, 1979.

51

STRY

1. DURING CUENOD AND MISS BRISSIMI'S VISIT FROM THE 11TH TO 15TH AUGUST, WE REVIEWED THE MINUTE AGREED BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE HIGH COMMISSIONER IN GENEVA ON 25 JUNE. UKMIS TELEGRAM NO. 2311

OF 25 JUNE TO F.C.O. REFERS.,

2. CUENOD CONFIRMED IN TERMS CONTAINED IN MY TELNO 1166 WITH EFFECT FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER 1979 UNHCR WOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.

3. THANKED CUENOD FOR THIS WELCOME NEWS, SUBJECT TO THE

FOLLOWING:-

(A) IN CASE OF SERIOUS UNEMPLOYMENT IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO

REQUIRE THE REFUGEES TO CEASE WORKING.

(B) AS RESETTLEMENT PROGRESSED WE WOULD MOVE REFUGEES FROM

GOVERNMENT TO UNHCR CAMPS.

C) OUR PAST EXPERIENCE WITH FOOD AID IN KIND HAD BEEN

DISCOURAGING, AND I HOPED THAT SUCH SUPPLIES WOULD CONSIST OF LOCALLY APPROPRIATE ITEMS, AND THAT ITS SUPPLY COULD BE IN ASSIGNMENTS OF APPROPRIATE SIZE AND FREQUENCY. (D) WE COULD STORE AND DISTRIBUTE SUCH SUPPLIES LOCALLY, BUT

GIVEN UNHCR'S EXPERTISE, AND OUR LACK OF IT, ON THEIR PROCUREMENT UNHCR SHOULD HANDLE.

4. CUENOD ACCEPTED ALL THESE POINTS.

CONFIDENTIAL