TNAG-1184-FCO40-1486-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 131

REFUGEES WHO ARRIVED HERE BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF CLOSED CAMPS

AND WHO HAVE NOT BEEN RESETTLED ARE IN OPEN CAMPS AND ARE ALLOWED

TO TAKE JOBS. AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF VERY SEVERC RESTRICTIONS

N IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA (MOST POTENTIAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA HAVE CLOSE RELATIVES IN HONG KONG), THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S ACCEPTANCE OF AND EXPENDITURE ON REFUGEES FROM VIETNAMIS A SENSITIVE POLITICAL ISSUE LOCALLY. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS

EXPECTED TO MAKE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO FIND RESETTLEMENT

PLACES FOR HONG KONG'S REFUGEES.

2. MR. KARL STUMPF OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY COUNCIL FOR THE

RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAS BEEN AN INDEFATIGABLE SEARCHER AFTER RESETTLEMENT PLACES. HE HAS TRAVELLED WIDELY IN NORTH AMERICA AND IN EUROPE IN SUPPORT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEE

RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES AND HAS A GREAT MANY CONTACTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. MR. STUMPF IS OPTIMISTIC

THAT A PROJECT TO SETTLE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG IN THEIR OWN SETTLEMENT IN FRENCH GUYANA, INITIALLY FUNDED BY THE UNHCR, WOULD BE VIABLE. HE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT FRENCH GUYANA TO PURSUE THIS SCHEME WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. I ENTERTAIN NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT HIS CHANCES OF SUCCESS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PRESENTATIONAL REASONS IN HONG KONG FOR US TO BE SEEN TO HAVE TRIED. UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD APPROACH THE APPROPRIATE FRENCH AUTHORITIES, DRAWING ON THE ABOVE BACKGROUND, TO SEEK PERMISSION FOR MR. STUMPF TO VISIT FRENCH GUYANA.

3. I AM COPYING TELEGRAPHICALLY TO UKMIS GENEVA AND SEAD. SEAD REGISTRY PLEASE PASS TO HKGD.

SIGNED R.P. MARGOLIS