CODE 18-77
Mr Edgar,
HKGD
RESTRICTED
Reference FA 243/23
1180
сс
FA 243/15
M V HUPEH AND M V PO YANG
We spoke again yesterday. I attach as promised a copy of Soden's letter to Burns of 24 August.
1.
2.
It is firmly discouraging on both Hartling's latest proposals and the approach we made on the Hong Kong registered ships.
See/18
183
3. There may be additional arguments with which we might go back to the Home Office. One mentioned to me by Landau of the UNHCR office in London is that other resettlement countries such as Australia, U.S. and Canada will become increasingly reluctant to take a good share of refugees from Hong Kong if we are obviously dragging our feet. You may have an idea from Hong Kong correspondence of how realistic this fear is. The other point is, of course, that if as the Home Office themselves expect the Prime Minister is going to come under pressure in Hong Kong on refugee quotas it may help to be able to offer, on the question of Hong Kong registered ships, what would in my view be a reasonably limited concession. This may come up at any meeting arranged in the light of Soden's para 1. In any case the Prime Minister may also have her own views.
Chylega.
HKK 243/1.
CGE
No
3/9 Ar3/9
CM J Segar
Rm W87
South-East Asian Department
233 5073
27 August 1982
RESTRICTED