TNAG-0898-FCO40-1108-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 121

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 230CT 1979

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

STRY

(1791) PA.

FM KUALA LUMPUR 183715Z OCT

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 377 OF 18 OCTOBER

INFO HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR) BANGKOK MANILA SINGAPORE JAKARTA UKMIS GENEVA UKMIS NEW YORK HANGI AND PEKING

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA

1. AT A PRESS BRIEFING FOR FORMER SUASTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, COUGH WHITLAM, YESTERDAY, TAN SRI GHAZALI SHAFIE, MINISTER OF HOME AFFIARS, URGED UNHCR TO SPEED UP IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXTENDED PROGRAMME FOR THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE OF VIETNAMESE WHO WANTED TO LEAVE VIETNAM. HE STRESSED THE URGENT NEED TO SET UP

PROCESSING CENTRES IN VIETNAM AS AGREED AT THE GENEVA CONFERENCE. IF THE UNHCR MACHINERY GROUND TOO SLOWLY VIETNAM RIGHT

FEEL LET DOWN.

2. AT THE PRESENT RATE OF RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM MALAYSIA HE EXPECTED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CLEARED IN 5 OR 6 MONTHS. THE PRESENT RATE OF DEPARTURE (8C REFUGEES AMONTH) WAS QUOTE QUITE GOOD UNQUOTE. THERE WERE NOW SOME 6,000 ILLEGAL REFUGEES IN TRANSIT CAMPS IN MALAYSIA. THE REMAINING 37,900 WERE ACCOMMODATED IN ISLAND CAMPS IN TRENGGANU.

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