OO WASHINGTON
00 OTTAWA
GRS 240
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 29232OZ JUL 83
CONFIDENTIAL
TKK 243/2.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
16 AUG 1983
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105
TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1280 OF 29 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, OTTAWA, PARIS, TOKYO, CANBERRA,
UKMIS GENEVA.
102
YOUR TEL NO 2143 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. YOU SHOULD THANK DOUGLAS FOR OFFERING US A LAST MINUTE INVITATION
AND SAY THAT WE WOULD HAVE WELCOMED THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE
ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE BUT HAVE NO ONE OF APPROPRIATE RANK AVAILABLE
AT THIS SHORT NOTICE. YOU SHOULD ALSO EXPLAIN THAT IT WOULD NOT BE
POSSIBLE IN THE TIME AVAILABLE TO COORDINATE BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS
HERE, WITH HONG KONG AND WITH OUR POSTS IN THE AREA IN A WAY WHICH
WOULD ENABLE US TO CONTRIBUTE USEFULLY TO THE MEETING BEYOND
EXPRESSING THE CONCERNS ALREADY PUT TO HIM. WE SHOULD OF COURSE BE
VERY HAPPY TO DISCUSS WITH HIM HERE IN THE AUTUMN THE RESULTS OF
THE HONOLULU MEETING AND HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM.
COMMENT.
2. WE CAN UNDERSTAND A CERTAIN EMBARRASSMENT ON DOUGLAS' PART AT
BEING LOBBIED BY US ON THE EVE OF THE CONFERENCE OF WHICH HE MAY
HAVE ASSUMED WE WERE UNAWARE. BUT IT IS DISINGENUOUS OF HIM TO
REGRET OUR ABSENCE AT A CONFERENCE HE HIMSELF ORGANISED WITHOUT
INVITING US OR INFORMING US.
3. THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONFERENCE MAY HAVE BEEN MENTIONED TO LORD
BELSTEAD IN DECEMBER. BUT DOUGLAS MUST HAVE BEEN AWARE OF OUR
CONTINUING INTEREST IF ONLY FROM THOMAS' CALL ON 19 MAY. HE CANNOT
CLAIM THAT BECAUSE WE ARE NOW UNABLE TO ATTEND WE ARE UNINTERESTED
IN THE PROBLEMS.
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