PSir Baker
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: MR BLAKER'S MEETING AT 10.15 AM ON TUESDAY, 19 JUNE
1.
At the meeting to de-brief Mr Blaker after his trip to Geneva, he may wish consideration to be given to Mr Cartledge's letter of 14 June (attached). No 10 Downing Street are aware that the FCO's reply will await Mr Blaker's return, in case his discussions at
Geneva bore en matters in the letter.
2.
The latest position on the questions asked by the Prime Minister
is as follows:
(i) What position the Government should adopt if, as seems
likely, the Norse Viking is unable to land its 40
refugees in Japan.
The Prime Minister has agreed that the Japanese should be given assurance that we will give "most sympathetic consideration to applications from any of the refugees who wish to come to the UK." We believe that six of the refugees may indeed wish to do so. Our views have been indicated to the Japanese, who we expect to be willing to allow "temporary landing" for the refugees at Osaka. According to the Japanese Embassy Japan has not closed her doors to any of the refugees expressing a wish to settle in Japan, but we believe that none of them wish to do 80.
(ii) How the Prime Minister's proposal for an international
conference under United Nations sponsorship can be given greater impetus.
under
On 18 June the Prime Minister authorised the despatch of a further message to Dr Waldheim urging him to convene
a conference. Also, the Foreign Ministers of the Nine, in Paris on 18 June decided to approach the UNHCR to ask for a conference to be convened the aegis of the United Nations. We have also continued to urge other countries to support the Prime Minister's proposal. (iii) What the United Kingdom's stance should be at such a
conference..
We would certainly wish to press other countries to do their share by providing more resettlement places and more
1
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