CONFIDENTIAL
1
Vietnamese policies of racial discrimination and persecution would be likely to be intensified leading to a further exodus.
iv) Information. We should keep up a flow of information about Vietnamese policies to ensure that Vietnamese propaganda is effectively answered. This will probably have to be primarily information obtained from refugees and Hong Kong will be an important source.
c) Hong Kong. Hong Kong's interests can best be looked after by ensuring that in all our discussions with the UNHCR and with Governments potentially capable of taking refugees from Hong Kong we continue to reiterate that Hong Kong's humane policies deserve encouragement. The proposed visit to Hong Kong by Vice-President Mondale will be useful as will the Governor's further visit to the United States at the end of September. We may have to set up other visits by the Governor or members of his staff.
d) Cambodia. A political solution to the problem of Cambodia will be extremely difficult to find. The following possibilities need to be considered:-
i) UN Security Council. We could appeal to the
UN Security Council on the grounds that the situation there poses a threat to peace and security in South East Asia and especially to Thailand. There could well be enough ASEAN and non-aligned support for such an approach, but any effective resolution is liable to attract a Soviet veto and a wet resolution acceptable to all would be of little value. It might be better to have a full debate without a resolution although a resolution appointing a UN envoy or even a group of neutral countries to study the situation and report could be a useful first step, but the consent of the parties would be necessary before a mission, could enter Cambodia.
ii) A special conference.
We decided last week
that the time was not ripe for a special conference. The problems include: -
A. Participation.
The most difficult issue
would be which Cambodian regime (Pol Pot or Heng Samrin) or both to invite, but there would be other difficulties; apart from ourselves, the French, the Americans and the ASEAN countries, China, Vietnam, Laos, Australia and Japan would also no doubt wish to participate, and there would be the question of Soviet participation.
CONFIDENTIAL
/B. Objectives
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