in

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT:

minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

FROM:

LORD BELSTEAD

DEPARTMENT:

TEL. NO:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:

....In Confidence

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

CAVEAT.....

TYPE: Draft/Final 1+

Reference

Your Reference

Copies to:

Enclosures-flag(s)..

1.

You asked if we could look again at the

recommendation in my minute of 12 April and also at the

draft telegrams in the light of the remarks made by

Mr Hartling when he saw you on 14 April.

2.

The view of departments is that Mr Hartling may be

quite justified in expecting a continued reduction in

arrivals of boat people in the area in the coming year

(certainly the Vietnames2 are now showing signs of being

seriously concerned at the continuing drain on Vietnam as

well as the damage to their image in the West), and that

this may well produce a fall unlike last year - in the

numbers reaching Hong Kong. Arrivals in Hong Kong are

already significantly down on the same period last year.

But with the severe cutback in resettlement places, Hong

Kong is still likely to see a net increase in numbers as

the summer (SW monsoon season) progresses and Vietnamese

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CONFIDENTIAL

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