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DESKBY 0609002
FM WASHINGTON 952142Z JUNE 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C Q
TEL NO 1343 OF 5 JUNE 1979.
INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. A WELL PLACED U.S. OFFICIAL MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO ROBINSON
TODAY. HE ASKED NOT TO BE IDENTIFIED AND SHOULD NOT BE QUOTED BACK
TO OTHER AMERICANS.
2. VANCE HAS JUST FORWARDED TO CARTER A MEMORANDUM WRITTEN BY CLARK ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE QUESTION. MEMORANDUM SAYS THAT
. THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN BADLY MISJUDGED AND IS LIKELY
TO GET OUT OF HAND OVER NEXT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS: RESOURCES AT
PRESENT PLANNED BY. THE U.S. ARE HOPELESSLY INADEQUATE: A FURTHER
PAPER SETTING OUT OPTIONS FOR THE U.S. IS TO FOLLOW.
3. CLARK HAS NOT TOLD ANYONE OF THE OPTIONS HE HAS IN MIND AND
THERE IS SCEPTICISM ABOUT THERE BEING ANYTHING WHICH COULD MEASURE UP TO THE PROBLEM. THE MAXIMUM INCREASED INTAKE BY THE U.S. IN THE REMAINDER OF 1979 WILL NOT BE MORE THAN ONE TO TWO WEEKS OF VIETNAM'S CURRENT (REPEAT CURRENT) EXODUS. THE ADMINISTRATION SEE NO PROSPECT OF EXTRA FUNDS BEING VOTED BY CONGRESS NOR OF CURRENTLY PLANNED CEILINGS BEING RAISED. TWICE RECENTLY EVIDENCE OF THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM PAPERS SUBMITTED TO CARTER ON THE GROUND THAT
IT WOULD BE QUOTE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE UNQUOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT
TO SEE THEM.
4. THE ADMINISTRATION THOUGHT THERE WAS AN OUTSIDE CHANCE THAT
KENNEDY AND DOLE MIGHT JOIN IN ADVOCATING SOME ADDITIONAL MEASURES,
BUT RECKON THAT OPPOSITION TO IT WOULD BE DECISIVE. EVIDENCE OF
GRASS-ROOTS OPINION ON THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ISSUE WAS PREDOMINANTLY HOSTILE. (DE HAAN OF UNHCR IS A KENNEDY PROTEGE
AND NOMINEE. HIS REPUTATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT
APPEAR TO BE HIGH).
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