CONFIDENTIAL
CAS 450
CODENTIAL
DESMI Y 1409502 F C O
FM HONG KONG 1407552 JUL 79
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 999 OF 14 JULY
HİNGT
HKK 2431
ра ni igian
1387
eln
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
GENEVA CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES: U K PLEDGE.
PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR.
1. A REUTERS LONDON STORY REPORTS A DECISION THAT THE UK PLEDGE WILL BE 10,000 SPREAD OVER 3 YEARS, AND NOT, AS I HAD SUPPOSED, MERELY SUBJECT TO SOME PHASING. IF TRUE, AND COUPLED WITH DEDUCTIONS FOR SEA RESCUE, IT COULD NOT BE CLAIMED TO APPROXIMATE
TO THE UNHCR'S SUGGESTION OF 10,000 IN A YEAR, BUT WOULD AMOUNT
TO LESS THAN 3,330 A YEAR.
2. MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND MORE OMINOUSLY THE
US CONSUL-GENERAL HAVE SAID THEY HOPE THE REPORT UNFOUNDED.
"
see (1387A) 388A
3. IF IT CAN BE DENIED, THE SOONER IT IS THE BETTER, AND PLEASE
DISREGARD THE REST OF THIS TELEGRAM.
4. IF THIS WERE HMG'S DECISION IT COULD NOT BE CONCEALED FOR LONG BY VAGUE WORDING IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE REUTERS REPORT WILL PROVOKE CLOSE QUESTIONING. THE AMERICANS AND OTHER POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES WOULD BE UPSET, THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG AT LEAST WOULD BE SERIOUS. I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO EXPRESS PUBLICLY THIS GOVERNMENT'S DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE DECISION WAS ANNOUNCED. IT WOULD ALL BE MOST DISTASTEFUL
AND DISAPPOINTING AFTER THE INITIATIVE OF CALLING FOR THE
CONFERENCE AND THE WIDE INTEREST IN A SOLUTION IT HAS GENERATED.
5. SO COULD YOU NOT SIMPLY MAKE HMG'S PLEDGE 10,000 WITHOUT REFERRING TO TIMING ? IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS THE REUTERS REPORT
COULD BE DENIED, BUT IT COULD BE SAID THAT THE TIME FOR
RESETTLEMENT COULD NOT BE FORESEEN SINCE IT WOULD NEED CAREFUL
HANDLING IN THE UK'S CIRCUMSTANCES, WOULD DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF
REFUGEES OPTING FOR THE UK AND THEIR SUITABILITY, AND ON
CONFIDENTIAL
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