GRS 360
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 230952Z OCT 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1373 OF 3 OCTOBER
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INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA (FOR GOVERNOR), UKMIS GENEVA,
INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
FCO TELNO 782 (NOT TO ALL): MOVEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG
TO UK.
1. ICEM HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SMALL NUMBERS MOVED TO THE
UK SO FAR, AND FORESEE NOME IN MEETING THE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER TARGETS YOU MENTION. HOWEVER (NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT AIR DESTINATIONS IN THE UK) FIRM BOOKINGS CAN ONLY BE MADE
ONCE AUTHORISATION FOR PARTICULAR BATCHES OF REFUGEES COMES
THROUGH. THIS CANNOT BE DONE INSTANTLY, AND TO KEEP THE MACHINE
RUNNING SMOOTHLY, ICEM NEED THE LONGEST POSSIBLE NOTICE, THIS WILL BE PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR DECEMBER, BECAUSE OF NORMAL SEASONAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC. DO YOU WISH TO CONSIDER ASKING ICEM TO LAY ON A SPECIAL CHARTER FOR THAT MONTH ?
2. AFTER A FEW CREAKS, ICEM'S SYSTEM HERE IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND THEY MOVED SOME 3,200 REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG DURING SEPTEMBER
2,270 OF THEM TO THE UNITED STATES), HOWEVER THEIR REGIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE, CADEAUX, LEAVES ON RESIGNATION IN 10 DAYS TIME,
COINCIDING INCONVENIENTLY WITH THE POSTING OF HIS NUMBER 2, DICK
SCOTT, TO BANGKOK A WEEK LATER, CARLIN, ICEM'S DIRECTOR, VISITS HONG KONG NEXT WEEK, AND WE WILL STRESS TO HIM THE NEED TO KEEP
THE SYSTEM RUNNING SMOOTHLY WHILE TWO NEW PEOPLE SETTLE IN. THIS
HOWEVER REINFORCES THE NEED FOR FULLEST COOPERATION FROM THE UK
END, IN GIVING AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE OF WHEN
GROUPS WILL BE CALLED FORWARD.
14/10
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/ 3. UNHCR'S FORECAST
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