OO HONG KONG
GRS 220
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 161022Z MAY 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TOP COPY
243/5
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 686 OF 16 MAY
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM GALSWORTHY
1168
OUR TELNO 685: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
18856 - 1
MKK 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
17 MAY 1985
DESKS OFFICEK
INDEX
PA
✓
REGISTRY
Action Taken
ہے
1. OUR TUR IS DESIGNED TO ENABLE YOU TO REPORT TO EXCO ON THE
POSITION REACHED. WE REALISE THAT IT WILL NOW BE ESSENTIAL FROM
THE POINT OF VIEW OF RELATIONS WITH EXCO THAT WE SHOULD MAKE AS
GENEROUS A GESTURE AS POSSIBLE IN ACCEPTING FURTHER REFUGEES FRO
THE CAMPS IN HONG KONG. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION WE ARE LIKELY
TO PROPOSE TO THE HOME SECRETARY A CONTINUING FIGURE OF 500 PER
YEAR. WE DO NOT WISH THIS FIGURE TO BE RELEASED TO EXCO AT THIS
STAGE, SINCE IF WE DO NOT ACHIEVE IT THERE WILL THEN BE
BITTERNESS, AND ALSO BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FATAL TO OUR DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE HOME SECRETARY IF THERE WERE TO BE ANY PREMATURE LEAK.
2. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE HOME SECRETARY WILL RESIST THIS
PROPOSAL, THOUGH WE THINK THAT HE WILL ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION
MADE BY SCORRI ON FAMILY REUNION CASES. HE WILL PROBABLY ARGUE
THAT HE SHOULD NOT GO BEYOND THE SCORRI RECOMMENDATIONS. IT IS
POSSIBLE THAT A COMPROMISE MIGHT BE FOUND BY WHICH WE MAKE
SOME KIND OF COMMITMENT IN PRINCIPLE TO TAKE FURTHER REFUGEES IN
NUMBERS COMPARABLE TO THE 500 FAMILY REUNION CASES, BUT MAKE THIS
WHOLLY OR PARTLY CONDITIONAL ON PARALLEL ACTION BY OTHER
RECIPIENT COUNTRIES.
3.
WE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED.
HOWE
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DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKD
MR WILSON
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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