TNAG-0971-FCO40-1190-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1980 — Page 16

Alsewhere. And coincident with the decline in re- settlement by countries other than the United States and Australia, there has been a sharp increase in monthly erzival rates from 7.000 refugees post-Geneva to 14,000 refugees monthly since February. In short, the problems of social and political instability caused the per -established communist governments of Indo- chiza ass kely to remain with us for several vears to

We were all encouraged by cute initiative taken by home mister to stimulate the Geneva Conference

Colonya nampassionate actitude Yourd the Indochinese refigueL 29 31.07. by a pledge

the United Kingdom to accept 10,000 of them in 1979-

What appears to be needed is a renewal of that afforx in 1981 to help bring about a successful con- clusion to this difficult and pressing humanitarian froblem I believe strongly that resolution of this refugee problem is not yet in sight and that the absence of a renewal of your commitment would negatively affect other third country resettlement programs. Our own Congress, which has recently concurred in my recommenda- tion for the admission of 168,000 Indochinese refugees in FY 1981, has indicated extreme reluctance to continue very high admission levels if we are asked to bear more than two-thirds of the resettlement responsibility as presently appears may be the case.

We are clearly at a crossroads in our efforts to help the Indochinese refugees. By acting now, the re- settlement countries can make a substantial and critical contribution to the resettlement of most of the Indo- chinese refugees in camps. It is with this opportunity in that ask your assistance by sustaining, or even

British program for the coming year, and encouragiig other Governments to do the same in their

enlarging.

11..

our views and response to the

er, I am

Sincerely

Edmund S. Muskie