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claim that the final decision on refugees rests with the other.
5. I enclose two press cuttings from the Spandauer Volksblatt and the Berliner Morgenpost about Dr Stumpf's visit. Pastor Furch told me that the press had made contact with Dr Stumpf during the earlier part of the programme. This was just as well because in spite of some discreet background prodding by us, the press conference was attended only by the Spandauer Volksblatt, the Evangelische Pressedienst and "City" (a Berlin magazine). Stumpf spoke impressively at the press conference, giving an outline of the refugee situation in Hong Kong and quoting many statistics. The two main points which he was keen to make were: Hong Kong is overcrowded and rapidly reaching the stage where it is bursting at the seams. The overcrowding was causing severe social, employment and economic problems. Secondly, he hoped that his visit to Europe, Scandinavia, United States and Canada would bring a quick alleviation of the problem. In this connection he was particularly looking to the Federal Republic for co-operation and support.
firstly,
6. Our own estimate of Stumpf's visit is that it usefully reinforced the representations we have been making to the Senate, and has to some extent refocussed attention in Berlin on the Hong Kong problem. Berlin's quota of Cuban refugees has recently been attracting more attention. Realistically, however, given Berlin's special problems of limited space, high proportion of immigrants, and continual flow of refugees from the East, we doubt
if there is a great deal of room for manouevre vis-a-vis Hong Kong. However every little helps and we will continue to press the case.
7. I have not copied this letter to Hong Kong in case it should cut across any round-up letter the Embassy was thinking of. If this is not what you have in mind, perhaps you would be good enough to copy it, suitably addressed, to Hong Kong, and let us know.
Yours
sincerely,
Like Hardin
M J Hardie
cc A Carter Esq
WED, FCO
Consuls General:
Frankfurt Stuttgart Hamburg Duesseldorf Munich
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