HKCK 243/2
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CALLYLU IN RAUSTY NO. 51 2 1 NOV 1980
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
No
PA
Action Taken
24.11
CONFIDENTIAL
An 241
GR 118
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 190945Z NOV
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 1521 OF 19 NOVEMBER, 1980.
FOR MORRIS, HK AND GD.
82
YOUR TELNO 1933: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
See 88
1. THE ONLY FURTHER POINTS I THINK WORTH MAKING ARE:
(A) THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF REFUGEES WILL STILL BE IN HONG KONG BY THE TIME THE U.K. QUOTA IS
COMPLETED.
(B) THEY WILL BE RESETTLED BY THE U.S., CANADA, AND OTHERS PROVIDED THE U.K. MAKES A GESTURE OF ALSO MAINTAINING A
RESTTLEMENT PROGRAMME.
(C) UNLESS YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES WILL AGREE, THE LONGER YOU DELAY SEEKING A DECISION FROM THEM THE LONGER THE COUNTRIES OF MAJOR RESETTLENT WILL HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT CONTINUING THEIR PROGRAMMES ON GROUNDS OF INADEQUATE U.K. PARTICIPATION. MOREOVER SOME NEW DEVELOPMENT MIGHT REAWAKEN FURTHER SYMPATHY.
(D) IN ANY CASE I HOPE, AS MR. WHITELAW PROMISED, NOTHING WILL BE SAID PUBLICLY TO RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FURTHER, IF SMALLER, INTAKE.
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED
HKNGD
SEAD
COPIES ΤΟ
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
UND
MRDONALD
CONFIDENTIAL
83