RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
can
د دیر می
45
12230 1
DD 17010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 170
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 170100Z
FM FCO 161745Z APRIL 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 529 OF 16 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO SAVING HKGO LONDON
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT
MKK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
18 APR 1985
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
сло
FEGISTRY
Taken
1. WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED ADVANCE COPY OF FINAL REPORT, EMBARGOED
UNTIL MIDDAY HERE ON THURSDAY 18 APRIL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HKGO
ARE SENDING YOU COPY OF SECTIONS CONCERNING HONG KONG VIA THEIR
FACSIMILE MACHINE.
2. WE PROPOSE THAT NEWS DEPARTMENT SHOULD ANSWER PRESS ENQUIRIES
AS FOLLOWS:
'WE CANNOT OF COURSE COMMENT ON THE REPORT'S DETAILED
RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG UNTIL
MINISTERS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THEM FULLY.
OUR INITIAL RESPONSE MUST BE TO PARLIAMENT.
HOWEVER AS MR LUCE SAID IN HIS ORAL EVIDENCE TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE
ON 4 FEBRUARY, NEITHER WE NOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CONSIDER
IT SATISFACTORY OR DESIRABLE THAT REFUGEES SHOULD HAVE TO REMAIN
FOR LONG PERIODS IN CAMPS, EITHER OPEN OR CLOSED, AND OUR
OBJECTIVE REMAINS TO SECURE A DURABLE SOLUTION AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE."
3.
GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS DESKBY 17090OZ.
4. WE SHAL ALSO PROVIDE NEWS DEPARTMENT WITH DEFENSIVE BRIEFING
ON THE LINES OF THE MATERIAL WE PREPARED FOR MR LUCE WHEN HE GAVE
ORAL EVIDENCE TO SCORRI.
HOWE
DIST: LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NEWS DEPTT
PS/MR LUCE
DR WILSON
COPIES TO
HK GO
PARLY UNIT
RESTRICTED
LONDON