A
B
Mr Leahy
PS/PUS
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
HKK 243/1
RELIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
2 FEB 1979
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1. Hong Kong tel No 186 from the Governor to the PUS asked whether the Secretary of State might be prepared to speak to Mr Vance in Washington about the Vietnamese refugee problem, and in particular
to float the idea of an Anglo-American initiative to help solve it.
2.
We had doubts about the wisdom of an Anglo-American initiative,
principally because it could lead to pressure on us to admit more refugees than we could absorb. But we thought it would be useful if the Secretary of State could remind Mr Vance of Hong Kong's
problems. We briefed the Secretary of State accordingly. This brief was cleared with HK&GD and SEAD, but in view of the short
deadline and in agreement with the PUS's Office, it was not submitted.
3. The idea mooted by the Governor (para 4 of his telegram) for some central collection point for Vietnamese refugees is not a new
one. It was originally proposed by the Malaysians and is being
studied by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The idea has its
attractions. If a convenient island could be found to serve as a
staging post for refugees, it might relieve some immediate pressures on Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong (the Indonesians are reported to be considering offering one). But there would need to be very rigorous conditions, particularly that a sustained onward movement
of all the refugees to countries of permanent settlement was guaranteed. The High Commissioner is unenthusiastic about the idea,
as was Mr Luard in his minute to the Secretary of State after the
Geneva consultations.
4.
I submit a draft reply to Hong Kong tel No 186. SEAD and
HK&GD concur.
مسلسل
31 January 1979
сс
Mr Murray
SEAD HK&GD
CANET DTNAUE AT
MK O Simpson-Orlebar UN Department