TNAG-0974-FCO40-1193-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-other--1980 — Page 174

HKK 243/5

HKK2435.

RECEIVE

*A MAR

27A

GPS 150

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

INTEX

мо

FM ATHENS 1387552 MAR

PA

PW17/23 AW 1943

see

TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TEL NO 2 OF 13 MARCH

RPTD TO PRIORITY FCO.

SAVING UKMIS GENEVA

ATHENS TEL 73 : VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

25

1. INFORMATION FROM THE GREEK MFA ON 12 MARCH CONFIRMED BY UNHCR RERESENTATIVE IS THAT THE 57 VOLUNTEERS TO COME TO GREECE HAVE DWINDLED TO 27, WITHOUT AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND.POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS ARE BECOMING IMPATIENT,

IFA AND UNHCR WANT TO LOOK ELSEWHERE THAN HONG KONG.

2. RELYING ON THE TABLE WITH ORR'S LETTER OF

9 FEBRUARY TO STITT, WHICH LISTS 1,009 FARMERS ARRIVING

IN HONG KONG IN 1979, WE HAVE PERSUADED THEM TO DELAY SUCH

A DECISION.THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO DO SO FOR MORE THAN

A FEW DAYS.

3. GRATEFUL FOR :-

-

(A) CONFIRMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 150 REASONABLY QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS FOR GREECE AMONG REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.

(B) AN INDICATION OF WHEN THEY COULD COME.

MILES

FILES HRGO

PS

PS/LPS

SEAD

PS/MR BLAKER

UND

FED

ECD

PUSD

PS/PUS

SIR D MAITLAND

MR CORTAZZI

OID

MR MURRAY

IPD

NEWS D

MR STRATTON

LORD NG LENNOX

ADDITIONAL DISTN.

BOAT PEOPLE

RESTRICTED