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CONFIDENTAL
HKK 24
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 230650Z AUG 79
TO IMMEDIATE THE HAGUE
TELNO.3 OF 23 AUGUST,
INFO IMMEDIATE: F.C.0,
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ROUTINE : UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, H.K.GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
YOUR TELNO.3: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES : M.V. 'SEROOSKERK'.
1. WE HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD BY THEIR CONSULATE HERE THAT THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT HAVE DECIDED TO STICK TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITION, 1.E THEY WANT TO TAKE THE ACTUAL 61 REFUGEES PICKED UP BY SEROOSKERK”.
2, WE ARE CONTENT TO GO ALONG WITH THIS. HOWEVER, FROM THE TONE OF OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE CONSULATE, AND STUTTERHEIM'S REMARK TO YOU ABOUT NOT BEING SADDLED WITH THE REFUGEES FOR TOO LONG'', WE FEAR THERE MAY STILL BE A MISUNDERSTANDING. THE CONSULATE HERE HAVE SPOKEN OF TAKING THE REFUGEES IN DUE COURSEN ''PROVIDED THEY WANT TO GO TO THE NETHERLANDS'', AND HAVE PRESSED US FOR DETAILS AS TO HOW MANY HAVE U.S CONNECTIONS.
3. WE THINK IT BEST TO STRAIGHTEN THIS OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT'S GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEROOSKERK'S REFUGEES MEANT THAT INSTEAD OF THE VESSEL CARRYING HER REFUGEES UNTIL SHE NEXT REACHED A NETHERLANDS PORT, WE WOULD OFFLOAD THEM HERE AND LOOK AFTER THEM FOR A LIMITED PERIOD UNTIL THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT COULD MOVE THEM ON BY OTHER MEANS. IN THIS CASE THEY WOULD BE IN TRANSIT TO (AND ONLY ABLE TO PURSUE OTHER RESETTLEMENT POSSIBILITIES FROM) THE NETHERLANDS. THIS WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT SINCE THEY WOULD ALREADY
HAVE BEEN RESETTLED. THE QUITE DISTINCT ALTERNATIVE, WHICH WE PUT TO THE DUTCH AS OUR PREFERENCE, WOULD BE FOR THEM TO. TAKE AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF REFUGEES ALREADY HERE, AND FOR THE SEROOSKERK'S
61 REFUGEES TO BE LANDED HERE AND PROCESSED FOR RESETTLEMENT AS PART OF THE GENERAL REFUGEE POPULATION, TAKING THEIR TURN WITH
/THE OTHERS
CONFIDENTAL
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