25.
CONFIDENTIAL
00 HONG KONG
GRS 272
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 190845Z JUL 855
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1041 OF 19 JULY
INFO HANOI
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 JUL 1985
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
33215 - 1
PA
SFGISTHY Acton Taken
FROM HKD
YOUR TELNO 1457: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT
1. THE HOME SECRETARY'S REPLY TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS
RECEIVED ON 16 JULY. STRICTLY FOR OWN INFORMATION IT DOES
PROPOSE THAT A REPLY TO SCORRI BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE RECESS.
IT ALSO REVEALS THAT THE HOME SECRETARY IS PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE FAMILY REUNION CASES AS PROPOSED BY SCORRI, BUT NOT TO GO
FURTHER. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HOME OFFICE MINISTERS HAVE SPOKEN TO
THE CHAIRMAN OF SCORRI ABOUT THE DELAY, THOUGH WE WERE NOT
CONSULTED ABOUT IT. LEAKS ABOUT THE DELAY MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM
THIS. MR BIFFEN'S REMARKS WERE ABOUT A DEBATE ON THE SCORRI REPORT,
AND NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TIMING OF A REPLY. A DEBATE DOES NOT
NECESSARILY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL REPLY FROM HMG, AND
THE TIMING OF ANY SUCH DEBATE HAS NO DIRECT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
TIMING OF A REPLY.
2.
WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS IN PARA 4 OF YOUR
TUR AND ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD
RETURN TO THE CHARGE WITH THE HOME SECRETARY.
3. WHILE THESE MATTERS ARE UNDER DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE HOME SECRETARY AND THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT IN TALKING TO THE PRESS IN HONG KONG
YOU DO NOT GO BEYOND SAYING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH THE
TIMING AND THE CONTENT OF THE REPLY TO SCORRI ARE STILL UNDER
DISCUSSION BETWEEN MINISTERS IN LONDON, AND THAT FIRM DECISIONS
HAVE NOT YET BEEN TAKEN. YOU COULD POINT OUT THAT THE SCORRI
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MUMEROUS, DETAILED AND COMPLEX, AND REQUIRE
TIME FOR PROPER CONSIDERATION.
HOWE
DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
NEWS D
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
DR WILSON
MKK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
22 JUL 1935
DESK OFFICE INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
etion
CONFIDENTIAL
129