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approach would necessarily be disadvantageous to HMG in a wider context; indeed, he foresaw greater difficulties if the Vietnamese gave an apparently reasonable reply that we did not feel that we could rely on.
8.
Lord Belstead said that he knew that the Secretary of State had reservations about the idea of repatriation.
He was, however, prepared to recommend to him that we should make an approach to the Vietnamese as proposed by the Hong Kong Government. It was important in terms of relations between the UK and Hong Kong that an effort should be made. Moreover, if present trends continued and numbers in Hong Kong increased significantly, not only would the Hong Kong Government face difficulties but HMG might also come under increasing pressure to provide additional resettlement opportunities. He would however have to point out to the Secretary of State the possible difficulties that any such approach to the Vietnamese might present for HMG.
Distribution
PS/Lord Belstead Mr Donald
Mr Clift, HKGD
Mr Burns, SEAD
Mr Williams, UND
Mr Burrows, Legal Advisers
Sir E Youde (personal)
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