TNAG-1276-FCO40-1626-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 154

GPS 375

CONF HDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 19093OZ AUG 83

TO ROUTINE CG NEW YORK

TELEGRAM NUMBER 28 OF 19 AUGUST 1983

INFO ROUTINE FCO, WASHINGTON AND UKMHS GENEVA

FOR DORWARD FROM WILLIAMSON

HKCK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 5 AUG 1983

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

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Mr. Skoene

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OUR TELNO 1202: WETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. IN SEPTEMBER CONGRESS WILL HEAR SUBMISSIONS ON PROPOSED US

REFUGEE PROGRAMME FOR FY 1984. WITH LARGE AND GROWING REFUGEE

CASELOADS IN THAILAND AND MALAYSHA, BOTH COUNTRIES ARE CERTAIN

TO LOBBY US STATE DEPARTMENT AND MAJOR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR

A GREAT US OFF TAKE AT THE EXPENSE OF PLACES LIKE HONG KONG.

2. DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG IN MAY, UNHCR REGIONAL CO- ORDINATOR SHAMINGTON OBSERVED (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT HKG EFFORTS TO SECURE A LARGER US OFFTAKE FOR HONG KONG SHOULD FOCUS AS MUCH ON THE MAJOR US VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AS ON THE STATE DEPT. THE US VOLAGS, WHICH ARE MOSTLY BASED IN NEW YORK, WHALL HAN TURN CONSTITUTE A MAJOR LOBBY IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE

THRUST OF THE FY 1984 US REFUGEE PROGRAMME. UNLESS HONG KONG'S VR PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED, THERE IS A DANGER THAT THIS THRUST WILL BE DIVERTED AWAY FROM THE VIETNAMESE AND HONG

KONG AND MORE TO THE KHMER AND THAILAND.

3. WHITH THIS BACKGROUND AND THAT PROVIDED IN GUIDANCE TELNO 832

AND 1101 HT WOULD HELP IF YOU COULD SEE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING

(IN ORDER OF PRIORITY) TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FULL AWARE OF

HONG KONG'S PARTICULAR PROBLEMS:

(A) DALE DE HAAN, DIRECTOR OF CHURCH WORLD SERVICE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROGRAMME, AND CHAIRMAN OF AMERICAN COUNCIL OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES MIGRATION AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE:

(B) ROBERT DE VECCHI, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE:

CONFIDENTIAL

/ (C) INGRID WALTER