CONFIDENTIAL
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DD 190100Z HONG KONG
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CONFIDENTIAL
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2012. H.K.D
TELEGRAM NUMBER 282 OF 18 FEBRUARY
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM GALSWORTHY
OUR TELNOS 278 AND 279: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1.
YOU MAY FIND IT HELPFUL TO KNOW THE BACKGROUND TO THE DRAFT
PAPER ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN MY SECOND TUR.
2. AS I TOLD YOU WHEN YOU WERE HERE, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE
RESISTANCE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL IN DEPARTMENTS DEALING WITH SOUTH
EAST ASIA AND THE UNITED NATIONS TO ANY PROPOSAL THAT WE EVEN
EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION (THOUGH
EVERYONE AGREES WITH THE NEED TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE HOME
OFFICE TO TAKE A QUOTA). THERE IS ALSO GREAT RESISTANCE AT A
POLITICAL LEVEL TO CONTEMPLATE INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION.
3. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES I THOUGHT THAT THE BEST WAY TO START
WAS TO PRODUCE A PAPER WHICH WOULD DEFINE THE PROBLEM, PREDICT
THE CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION, AND SET OUT THE POSSIBLE OPTIONS
WITHOUT MAKING ANY FIRM RECOMMENDATIONS. IF SUCH A PAPER CAN BE
AGREED, AND THE PRESENT DRAFT IS AGREED AT OFFICIAL LEVEL WITH
THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED, WE SHALL HAVE A FIRM BASIS FOR
ARGUING ABOUT WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE MADE. ABOVE ALL, I
HOPE THAT THE DRAFT SHOWS THAT INACTION, WHICH IN THE ABSENCE OF
ANY ABILITY TO MOVE THE HOME OFFICE, IS A NATURAL TEMPTATION, IS
REALLY A VERY DANGEROUS COURSE.
4.
AS I SEE IT, THERE OUGHT TO BE A THREE-PRONGED
RECOMMENDATION:
(I) THAT WE STEP UP PRESSURE ON THE HOME OFFICE TO TAKE A QUOTA.
THERE ARE NOW SOME WELCOME SIGNS OF GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN
THE HOME OFFICE, THOUGH I DOUBT WHETHER THERE IS YET
WILLINGNESS TO CONTEMPLATE A FIGURE WHICH WOULD REALLY HELP
US TO PUT PRESSURE ON OTHER COUNTRIES. IF THIS PRESSURE IS
SUCCESSFUL WE SHOULD THEN MAKE A SUSTAINED DIPLOMATIC EFFORT
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