CODE 18-77
CCD, W.108
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
Mr Dewar
RECEIVED
**
27
DESK UZ
INDEX
CHOGM:
no 1827.
по
CC;
Reference.
Mir Morgan,
FAG 243/1
;}
UND
Mr Reith, JUND
1192
I Williams 266
N
872016
Miss Spencer, Rhodesia Dept
Mr Masefield, FED
Mr Quantrill, HK&GD 4 Mr Broad, CAfD
Mr Gore, SAFD
AUSTRALIAN APPROACH ON REFUGEES
(Your minute of 18 June)
1. On the substance of the Australians' proposed initiative, we would wish to have the Indo Chinese refugee issue aired in this, as in other international fora. We could accent a reference to the refugee problem in global terms, provided it made particular mention of the pressing Indo-Chinese aspects. It appears from the extracts which we have seen of the telegram handed over by Mr Cook that this is what the Australians have in mind. Mr Reith's minute of 22 June also suggests this line.
2.
It is difficult at this stage to be any more specific about our attitude, since it will depend to a large extent on the outcome of the special UN Conference on Indo Chinese refugees which we hope will have taken place before the CHOGM.
3.
The Australians' enquiry is directed largely towards tactical handling of the, refugee issue, in view of African susceptibilities. Miss Spencer's minute of 21 June suggests that we should be careful in exposing surface on the issue, and I understand that the Home Office are also concerned about this.
4.
In these circumstances, I do not think that we should at this stage go further than telling the Australians that
(a) we would probably want to see the refugee issue
discussed in suitable terms, and this discussion reflected in some written form, and
(b) we could live with the terms they seem to have
in.mind, but
(c) all of the foregoing is subject to the result of the UN Conference on Indo-Chinese refugees which we hope will have taken place before the CHOGM.
25 June 1979
RP Flower
South East Asian Department
CONFIDENTIAL
I