CONFIDENTIAL
;
THE UNITED KINGDOM'S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY MUST BE TO RELIEVE THE BURDEN ON HONG KONG. NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO SHOW OUR SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT FOR THAILAND AND MALAYSIA, BY OFFERING TO RESETTLE FROM EACH OF THEM A NUMBER OF REFUGEES DURING THIS YEAR. DESPITE OUR OWN HEAVY IMMIGRATION FROM THE SUB- CONTINENT FOR WHICH WE HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE ALREADY RESETTLED ABOUT 1,500 REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA, AND WE ARE ONE OF THE LEADING CONTRIBUTORS TO THE UNHCR'S SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA.
WE SHARE PROFESSOR MOCHTAR'S CONCERN TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER BY DISCUSSION: WE DO NOT WISH IT TO BECOME AN ISSUE BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND INDONESIA. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TALKED, IN GENEVA AND JAKARTA, TO YOUR MINISTERS. IN ADDITION WE HAVE TAKEN INFORMAL SOUNDINGS IN OTHER ASEAN CAPITALS AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANY SPECIFIC OBJECTION TO INCLUDING HONG KONG IN THE PROPOSAL,
1 VERY MUCH HOPE THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY WHICH WILL ENABLE US AND HONG KONG TO COOPERATE IN THIS PROJECT.
YOURS SINCERELY
H.A.H. CORTAZZI.
END.
OWEN.
FILE S
UND
HK YG D
SEAD
FED
COPIES TO
PS
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
PS/LORD GORONWY
LONDON
ROBERTS
MR BURLEIGH
SAD
EID (E)
FUSD
OID
IPD
PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
STR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
MR LEAHY
NEWS D MVD
MR MURRAY
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
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CONFIDENTIAL