TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 32

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TELNO 81

OF 1009OOZ OCTOBER 85

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YKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

10 OCT 1985

DESK OFFICER

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YOUR TELNO 507 TO BONN : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG I SPOKE TO THE ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MFA ON 3 OCTOBER. EGILSSON TOOK NOTE AND UNDERTOOK TO PRESS THE APPROPRIATE ORGANISATIONS, MAINLY THE ICELANDIC RED CROSS, TO HELP.

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EGILSSON SAID THAT ICELAND HAD ACCEPTED 34 VIETNAMESE IN 1979 AND 19 SINCE THEN. FORTY OF THESE 53, NONE OF WHOM HAD COME FROM HONG KONG, WERE STILL IN ICELAND, THE OTHERS HAVING EITHER MOVED ON TO CANADA OR THE USA, OR DIED.

3. FIFTY THREE REFUGEES IN A COUNTRY WITH A POPULATION OF 240,000 IS NOT A BAD EFFORT, GIVEN BOTH THE ABSENCE OF ANY TRADITION OF IMMIGRATION AND THE CLIMATIC PROBLEMS. BUT IT IS STILL PROPORTIONALLY ONLY TWO THIRDS THE UK CONTRIBUTION AND THE ICELANDERS REALISE THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY TRY A LITTLE HARDER.

THOMAS

REGISTRY

Action Taken

MINIMAL

HKD

WED

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