CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HELSINKI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 113
OF 14090OZ JUNE 88
INFO ROUTINE STOCKHOLM, HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
FCO TELNO 133 TO ATHENS.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED TO TIMO KOPONEN, DIRECTOR FOR REFUGEE QUESTIONS IN THE FINNISH MFA. KOPONEN WAS
GRATEFUL TO BE INFORMED OF OUR PLANS. HE SAID THAT A HINT OF THIS HAD BEEN GIVEN AT A RECENT UNHCR MEETING IN COPENHAGEN, AND THOUGHT THAT THE OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM MIGHT ALSO
BE PLANNING TO TIGHTEN THEIR REGULATIONS.
2. KOPONEN EXPLAINED THAT THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY
TAKEN THE DECISION IN PRINCIPLE TO ADMIT 300 REFUGEES UNDER UNHCR ARRANGEMENTS THIS YEAR, AGAINST 200
LAST YEAR AND 100 IN 1986. THIS DECISION WOULD BE FINALISED
SOON. A QUOTE SUBSTANTIAL UNQUOTE PERCENTAGE OF THESE WOULD BE
FROM THE QUOTE INDO-CHINESE UNQUOTE AREA, INCLUDING HONG KONG. QUOTAS WOULD BE ANNOUNCED WITH THE DECISION, AND OUR INFORMATION WOULD BE OF VALUE IN SETTING THESE.
3. KOPONEN WAS KEEN TO HAVE AN INDICATION OF THE REACTIONS OF
OTHER COUNTRIES TO HMG'S DECISION, AND TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON OUR PLANS TO ASSIST THE RESETTLEMENT OF AFGHAN REFUGEES. GRATEFUL
FOR INFORMATION ON THESE POINTS.
STAPLES
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