TNAG-0898-FCO40-1108-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 56

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Pit

[HKK 2431

GR 150A

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FM FCO 25173OZ OCT

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 873 OF 25TH OCTOBER 1979.

INFO UKMIS GENEVA

YOUR TELNO 1455: MOVEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG TO UK.

789

1. HOME OFFICE HAVE ASKED US TO REPLY TO YOUR TUR AS FOLLOWS:

7. THE FIGURE OF 1,700 REFUGEES CALLED FORWARD IN SEPTEMBER

WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN TELVO 817 OF 11 OCTOBER MISTAKENLY

INCLUDED REFUGEES WHO HAD BEEN CALLED FORWARD FROM MALAYSIA AND

THAILAND. THE PRESENT POSITION, AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, IS THAT 163

REFUGEES ARRIVED FROM HONG KONG IN THE COURSE OF SEPTEMBER

AND THAT BETWEEN 1,100 AND 1,125 ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE DURING OCTOBER.

7MA)

3. AS REGARDS FUTURE MOVEMENTS (PARAGRAPH 4 OF YOUR 1455 OF 18 OCTOBER) WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE REASSURANCE. THE CONTINGENCY

OF 1,000 REFUGEES NEEDING TO BE TRANSPORTED FROM HONG KONG IN THE

FIRST TWO WEEKS OF DECEMBER SEEMS UNLIKELY TO ARISE, BUT IF IT

DOES WE WOULD BE CONTENT FOR ICEM TO PROCEED AS PROPOSED. NO DOUBT

WE AND THE SECRETARIAT TO THE JOINT COMMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES FROM

VIETNAM WILL BE INFORMED IF ANY DIFFICULTIES ARISE. CARRINGTON

FILES

SEAD

FK & GD

URD

FED

BID

FUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D

PS

FS/LPS

FS/MR BLAKER

28/PUS

SIR A DUTT

MR CORBAZZI

FR MURRAY

MR STRANDON

Loa I G ILIVOL

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