CONFIDENTIAL
4. PUBLIC OPINION HERE HAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT'S
STAND ON THE HUEY FONG. WE CAN EXPECT AN ADVERSE REACTION TO ANY CHANGE OF POLICY, ALTHOUGH THIS WILL BE MITIGATED TO SOME EXTENT BY THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW LEGISLATION. EVEN THE NEW LEGISLATION HOWEVER WILL NOT COUNTER PEOPLE'S (JUSTIFIED) FEAR THAT, IN BEING FORCED TO GIVE WAY ON THE HUEY FONG, HONG KONG WILL BECOME THE DESTINATION OF MORE SHIPS TAKING PART IN THE NEW ORGANISED TRADE. RECENT PRESS STORIES ABOUT MORE SHIPS IN THE PIPELINE WILL ACCENTU THE FEAR THAT HONG KONG IS BEING FLOODED WITH AN UNACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF REFUGEES. WE WILL THEREFORE HAVE TO MAKE URGENT AND PUBLIC EFFORTS TO PERSUADE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES TO TAKE OFF OUR HANDS AT LEAST AS MANY OF THOSE REFUGEES ALREADY HERE AS ARE BEING BROUGHT IN ON THE HUEY FONG.
5. WE INTEND TO MAKE A MAJOR APPEAL TO THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES
OF TRADITIONAL RECEIPIENT, AND ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE, COUNTRIES AT THE SAME TIME AS, OR JUST BEFORE, THE HUEY FONG IS ALLOWED TO ENTER HONG KONG'S WATERS. WE WILL EXPLAIN THAT WE ARE DOING SO BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN FORCED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS, INTO BACKING DOWN ON THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE. THIS ACTION POSES AN UNFAIR AND UNACCEPTABLE BURDEN ÔN HONG KONG, WE MUST THEREFORE HAVE HELP IN MOVING ON QUICKLY WE WILL A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE ALREADY AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. EMPHASISE THAT WE DO NOT WANT OFFERS TO BE DIRECTED TO THOSE ON THE HUEY FONG SEMI-COLON. THIS WOULD BE QUEUE JUMPING AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER ATTEMPTS AT BLACKMAIL. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL . ALSO BE ABLE TO BACK THIS APPEAL BY REPRESENTATIONS IN THE CAPITALS
CONCERNED.
6. WHEN WE MAKE THIS APPEAL WE ARE BOUND TO BE ASKED WHAT THE U.K
IS DOING. WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT YOU CAN NOW GIVE URGENT CONSIDERATION TO TAKING A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER (1.E AT LEAST 1,000)
OF THOSE REFUGEES WHO ARE ALREADY AWAITING RESETTLEMENT. WE HAVE SUCH A COMMITMENT IT IS GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO PERSUADE OTHERS TO TAKE THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY. GRATEFUL FOR A RESPONSE BY
10 JANUARY AT THE LATEST.
UNLESS
2 - CONFIDENTIAL
/7. THESE