CODE 18-77
RESTRICTED
Reference
PA
844-719
217
Mr Cft (HKGD WH307)
BRIEFING OF HM AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE HANOI
I am sorry/not to have commented sooner on Mr Williamson's teleletter of 14 September, proposing that Mr Tonkin's successor should visit Hong Kong for a full briefing on refugees.
1.
2. I entirely agree that this is an important element in the picture which Mr Tonkin's successor will have to form. On present plans he will be travelling out to Bangkok for the Heads of Mission meeting in mid-December and then proceeding on to Hanoi. I hope that he will have the opportunity to have a talk with Mr McLaren in the margins of the Heads of Mission meeting and I suggest that they then seek to settle a time for a visit by the new man to Hong Kong. I doubt whether it would be right for this to be squeezed in between the Heads of Mission meeting and first arrival in Hanoi because Mr Roberts by then will already have been running the Hanoi show on his own for two months. But I dare say that a quick trip to Hong Kong could be tacked on to the new Ambassador's first break in Bangkok after he has taken charge of his post.
HAK 243||
24 September 1982
Done
THE
M
M. Ixoare
Шви
AA281a
South East Asian Department
K FX Burns
sendk
бук
Looks fine. Pl. diff tele letter
B27/9
RESTRICTED