TNAG-0899-FCO40-1109-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 41

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RECORD OF CALL ON THE MINISTER OF STATE BY THE DEPUTY UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES: WEDNESDAY 21–NOVEMBER AT TO.00 am

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PRESENT

The Hon Douglas Hurd CBE MP

Mr Simpson-Orlebar

Mrs Anderson

1

Mr de Haan, Deputy UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Mr Heidler, UK Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Mr de Haan thanked the British Government for its support of UNHCR, especially over Indo-China.

Resettlement of Refugees in the UK

2

Mr de Haan described his visit to the Ockenden Venture and BCAR Reception Centres for Indo-Chinese refugees and his call on the Home Secretary the previous day. He was very impressed by the Centres and pleased at the recent speeding- up in the rate of resettlement in the UK. He hoped this would continue.

Hong Kong

3

Mr Hurd said there was still concern about the strains imposed on Hong Kong by the refugees. Mr de Haan praised Hong Kong's handling of the problem, its open-door policy and permission for the refugees to work.

Cambodia

4

Mr Hurd said that he had read reports of US concern at the tense situation on the Thai/Cambodian border and the possibility of war. There were some 300,000 potential refugees on the Cambodian side. No-one seemed quite organised

to cope.

5

Mr de Haan explained that it was very difficult to segregate the guerrilla groups of Khmer Rouge and Khmer Serei from the genuine refugees. UNHCR policy was to work closely with the Thais to get holding centres in place (two already were). The second objective was to move people away from the border, if possible, both for their own sake and to help defuse the tension. This was not yet happening.

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Mr Hurd