TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 249

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CONFIDENTIAL

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ALLEIVED IN REGĄSITY NO. 51

13 AUG 1909

DESK OFFICER REGISTNY

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 100349Z AUG 79

TO ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.1135 OF 10 AUGUST,

INDEX

мо

INFO OTTAWA, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, BONN, CANBERRA,

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG:

CANADIAN RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME.

PA

Actr

1. THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER CALLED ON ME ON 7 AUGUST TO EXPLAIN CANADIAN PLANS FOR RESETTLEMENT FROM HONG KONG FOR

THE REST OF THIS YEAR AND 1980.

2. WARDEN SAID THAT A FURTHER 2,000 SHOULD LEAVE HONG KONG ON CANADIAN MILITARY FLIGHTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS WITH A FURTHER 1,000 ON CHARTER FLIGHTS IN OCTOBER, TO GIVE A PROBABLE

1979 TOTAL OF 3,000-4,000.

3. IN 1980, HE SAID, THE CANDIANS PLANNED TO ALLOCATE 4,000 PLACES TO HONG KONG. ONE OF THE FACTORS IN DECIDING THIS FIGURE WAS THE U.K'S OFFER OF 10,000 PLACES EXCLUSIVELY FOR HONG KONG, AFTER THE FIRST 20,000 OF THE TOTAL CANDIAN 50,000 RESETTLEMENT OF THE REMAINDER WOULD DEPEND ON PRIVATE SPONSORSHIPS MATCHING GOVERNMENTAL PLACES ONE FOR ONE: WHILE HE THOUGHT THAT THE FULL QUOTA WOULD BE MET, THE PROGRAMME COULD BE SCALED DOWN IF PUBLIC RESPONSE FLAGGED OR IF THERE WAS POSITIVE OPPOSITION. (NOTE: WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HERE GET IN DIRECT TOUCH WITH POTENTIAL SPONSORS IN CANADA).

4. I SAID THAT WE WERE OF COURSE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY RESETTLEMENT PLACE FOR HONG KONG. BUT I HAD NOTED RUEFULLY

THE RECENT PUBLIC ESTIMATE BY THE MALAYSIANS THAT AT THEIR PRESENT RATE OF OFFTAKS (8,800 IN JULY ALONE) THEY MIGHT HAVE A REFUGEE POPULATION OF ONLY 25,000 BY THE YEAR'S END. I COULD SEE THE · POLITICAL ARGUMENTS FOR FAVOURING ASEAN OVER RESETTLEMENT: BUT THEY HARDLY JUSTIFIED A 4:1 RATIO TO HONG KONG'S DISADVANTAGE.

CONFIDENTIAL

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WARDEN

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