TNAG-0974-FCO40-1193-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-other--1980 — Page 124

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Mrs.

Mr. Stumpf has met Mrs. Taviani at the San Remo Conference.

Taviani

what Mr. Barbier had already mentioned but believes

that France could and should take a small contingent from Hong Kong which she estimates cannot be larger than 50 a month. She explained to us that Indochinese refugees accepted by France are divided into the following categories:

1) former employees of the French government, regardless

how long ago

2) former or present employees of French firms with connections

in Vietnam. This clause is, however, very liberally inter-

preted

3) Those who have relatives in France

4) Ethnic Vietnamese refugees

Mrs. Taviani believes that if we are able to locate refugees in Hong

Kong who fall within these criteria, France may take them from us.

d)

2:00 p.m.

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Secours Catholique:

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This Catholic organization is very actively involved in the reception

and integration of Indochinese refugees. They confirmed that the

present quota of 5,000 is nearly fully reserved for the categories

of refugees listed above. They also believe that small numbers can

be taken from Hong Kong provided that they fall within these categories.

The President of Secours Catholique, Monsieur Prigent, a former

minister of health, is visiting Hong Kong in July when this matter

can be discussed on the spot together with the French Consul-General.

Following this meeting we visited two Vietnamese families who had

fully and successfully integrated into French life. The first family,

after four years in France, has opened a Vietnamese restaurant in

Paris and does very well indeed. The second family, a widow with

five children have also established themselves in Paris and have

become fully independent.

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