CONFIDENTIAL
ME Head Esq
The Home Office
50 Queen Anne's Gate LONDON SW1H GAT
HKK 24312
233 4381
RECEIVED IN REG S7: 7 NO. 51. 0 1 DEC 1980
LISK OFFICE?
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AW 2111
28 November 1980
See
HONG KONG:
1.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
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Our Secretaries of State have been in touch over the recent request by the Governor of Hong Kong that there should be an additional UK quota of 5,000 (Mr Whitelaw's letter of 15 November).
2. Lord Carrington understands the difficulties that are foreseen and does not underestimate them. For his part, the Governor of Hong Kong faces a serious problem, as he has told Mr Whitelaw. Significant numbers of these refugees are certain still to be in Hong Kong when the present UK quota is completed. We fear that they will only be resettled by the United States, Canada and others provided that the United Kingdom makes the gesture of also maintaining a resettlement programme. In this connection, the Governor is, as you know, most anxious that a negative response to his request for an additional quota, if it is to be negative, should be delayed as long as possible. This is to avoid giving the other resettlement countries an excuse for not continuing their programmes.
4.
There is, however, an additional complication in that Mr Hartling, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, will be here in early December and is due to see the Prime Minister, Mr Whitelaw (or Mr Raison) and Lord Carrington. He may well raise this issue and we shall have to decide what response to make. Lord Carrington has been consulted and feels that all that can be said at this stage is that no decision has been made, that we will take Mr Hartling's views into account but that there are real practical difficulties. I hope you can agree to this line.
P Morrice
Hong Kong and General Department
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UND
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FED
CONFIDENTIAL