GPS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 2434 (1035
A
V. ST
16 JUN 1979
OFFICE
REGISTRY
FM WASHINGTON Ø82005Z JUN 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
NO 1413 OF 8 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG (GOVERNOR) AND UKM IS BENEVA:
REFUGEES: PROPOSAL FOR A CONFERENCE.
No
ARY FOR
el
1. SIEVERTS (DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR REFUGEES) TOLD US
TODAY THAT AMBASSADOR CLARK WOULD WISH TO GIVE US THE STATE
DEPARTMENT'S FORMAL RESPONSE TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S PROPOSAL FOR
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REFUGEE PROBLEM EARLY NEXT WEEK.
SIEVERTS SAID THAT ALL CONCERNED IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT WELCOMED
THE PRIME MINISTER'S INITIATIVE AND THAT THE RESPONSE WOULD BE
GENERALLY POSITIVE, BUT THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT DETAILS OF TIMING, LEVEL ETC.
2. SIEVERTS COMMENTED THAT THE REACTION FROM THE UN MACHINERY, PARTICULARLY THE UNHCR, HAD NOT BEEN UNIFORMLY ENTHUSIASTIC, AND
INDICATED THAT THE AMERICANS WOULD WISH TO TAKE SOME ACCOUNT
1 OF THE UNHCR'S RESERVATIONS. SIEVERTS ASKED, IF THE CONFERENCE DID NOT LOOK LIKE TAKING PLACE BEFORE SEPTEMBER, AS INDICATIONS FROM THE UN SUGGESTED MIGHT BE THE CASE, WHETHER HMG WOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN CONVENING A CONFERENCE IN WHICH THE UN
MIGHT BE INVITED TO TAKE PART. GRATEFUL FOR EARLY INSTRUCTIONS ON
THIS SUGGESTION, WHICH I ASSUME YOU WILL NOT WISH TO ENCOURAGE, IN CASE CLARK SHOULD RAISE IT AT THE MEETING REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH
1 ABOVE. IS THERE ANYTHING FURTHER WE SHOULD SAY ON TIMING, AND
LEVEL?
3. RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE INFORM MURRAY (AUSS)
ROBINSON
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST] `
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CONFIDENTIAL