CONFIDENTIAL
See
Hrt243/1982
127
88.
Noted Af 23/12121
BU 21/1/1982
랜
içe
23/12
Sir Philip Haddon-Cave KBE CMG
Chief Secretary
Government Secretariat
HONG KONG
Hear Philip,
THE OUTFLOW FROM VIETNAM
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
17 December 1981
12
See HKH 243/1 1982 Hkk 243 2
23 DEC 1981
OFFICER
BALUSTRY
Takgo
сае
No
25/1 Af 257
118
1. Thank you very much for your letter of 2 December. You have set out the problem and options very clearly and we shall be looking at the matter very carefully as soon as we have had comments from posts. We shall then put a submission to Ministers. We shall probably find that this will most logically come after the Lord Privy Seal's visit in January which will provide a useful opportunity for us to discuss the matter with you and the Governor.
2. You asked in paragraph 8(b) about a reply to Bim Davies' Tetter of 9 October about an extension of the UK quota which is now fully committed. We had been about to submit the question to Ministers but, after speaking to David Ford, decided to hold up action until you had had time to consider further a Hong Kong Government contribution towards the cost of resettlement in this country. We now understand that you have concluded that such a contribution would not be possible. In the present political and economic climate here we see little prospect of Ministers being able to agree to any extension to the quota but we will put all the facts to them when we submit on your letter of 9 December:
(118)
24 of UK guarantees This will be put
3. In the same letter Bim raised the question for refugees rescued by British flag carriers. to Ministers at the same time although again I do not expect any change in present policy. However,, as I am sure you know, current practice does effectively result in the acceptance in the UK of refugees picked up by British ships and landed in Hong Kong. It is just that HMG are not prepared to give an advance blanket guarantee to any state or territory
4. In his follow-up teleletter of 9 December, Bim asked about refugees from three vessels who are still in Hong Kong. The Home Office were not aware that you attached any priority within the remaining quota movements to these refugees, and neither they nor we were conscious of any deadlines passing. But the Home Office are now arranging for them all to be brought here before the end of January.
5.
None of this, I am afraid, is particularly helpful from your point of view. I know, however, that you are well aware of the constraints at this end. It will be helpful to discuss the problem in January, and it will be useful for the Lord Privy Seal to see conditions for himself on the spot.
CONFIDENTIAL
ever
Your Gian Alan
A E Donald