GRS 190
RESTRICTED
7
(1496
RESTRICTED
HKK 243
-243/1
FM WELLINGTON 302325Z JUL 79
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 234 OF 31 JULY
INFO HONG KONG AND CANBERRA
PA
1400
YOUR TELNO 355 TO CANBERRA: RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG.
1469)
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON HEAD OF ASIA DIVISION (WATT) ON 30
JULY. HE WAS SYMPATHETIC TO AND WELL BRIEFED ON HONG KONG'S PLIGHT.
THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED ADDITIONAL NEW ZEALAND QUOTA FOR 1980/81 (MY TELNO 231 TO FCO ONLY) HAD NOT YET BEEN DECIDED BUT, SPEAKING PERSONALLY, WATT THOUGHT THAT ABOUT 103 REFUGEES OF
THAT TOTAL WOULD BE ACCEPTED FROM HONG KONG.
1
see/170S
2. I HAVE RAISED HONG KONG'S PLIGHT WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER
(N) (MY TELNO 190) AND SINCE GENEVA HAD AGAIN BEFORE RECEIPT OF YOUR TEL
UNDER REFERENCE TAKEN THE MATTER UP AT SENIOR OFFICIAL LEVEL. I DOUBT
HOWEVER IF IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO PUSH NEW ZEALAND MUCH BEYOND A
TOKEN GESTURE THOUGH THIS IS AT LEAST BETTER THAN THEIR PREVIOUS
TOTALLY NEGATIVE ATTITUDE. HOWEVER MR WHITELAWAS FORTHCOMING VISIT
WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE THE MESSAGE.
3. WATT SAID THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF A SHORT VISIT TO NEW
ZEALAND ON 7 OR 8 AUGUST BY SIR JACK CATER, WHO WOULD ALSO BE VISITING AUSTRALIA AROUND THAT TIME. IF SO, THIS WOULD BE HEPLFUL IN
KEEPING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN VIEW AND I WILL GLADLY HELP WITH
ARRANGEMENTS.
SIEDLEY
[COPIES SENT TO NO.10 DOWNING ST]
FILES
SEAD
PS
FK & GD
PS/LPS
UND
FED
EESD
I AM D SAD
MAED
PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MUR STRATTON
EID
PUSD
OID
4.
IPD
MR BULLARD
NEWS D MVD
MR FRETWELL
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