CONFIDENTIAL
WHAT ADMINISTRATION PROBLEMS INDIVIDUAL CASES PRESENTED. IT COULD WELL TAKE MORE THAN A YEAR, BUT HMG WOULD ACT AS QUICKLY AS WAS
PRACTICABLE.
6. I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD AFFECT THE ATTITUDE OF OTHER POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES, AND PARTICULARLY THE US, IF THE PROCESS STRETCHED
TO 18 MONTHS OR A LITTLE MORE. THEY TOO WILL HAVE THEIR PROBLEMS.
BUT INEVITABLY THE RATE OF OFF-TAKE WILL BE WATCHED AND IF THE UK APPEARS TO BE DELIBERATELY LAGGING THE US WILL COMPLAIN AND CUT ITS OFF-TAKE ACCORDINGLY. BUT EVEN SUCH A POSSIBILITY WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO A PUBLIC ROW AND DISILLUSIONMENT NOW.
7. I HOPE THE QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE CAN BE LEFT OPEN IN ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT UNTIL I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IN LONDON
ON TUESDAY.
MACLEHOSE
FILES SEAD HK & GD UND
FED
EESD
N AM D
SAD
EID
PUSD OID IPD
MR FERGUSSON
MR FRETWELL
ADDITIONAL DISTN
BOAT PEOPLE
NEWS D M & VD PS PS/LPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MR STRATTION
LORD NG LENNOX
MR BULLARD
-2-
CONFIDENTIAL