CONFIDENTIAL
3992
1
(K)
5.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THE HONG KONG CAMPS ARE NORTHERNERS (COMMENT: NEIGHBOUR EMPHASISED
THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE US TO ACCEPT NORTHERNERS AS
THEY TENDED NOT TO HAVE FAMILY TIES IN THE US.) ( (ABOUT 50
PER CENT ARE NORTHERNERS. HOWEVER ABOUT A THIRD OF THESE ARE ETHNIC CHINESE, WHOM WE UNDERSTAND THE US (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) DO ACCEPT.)
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU TOO WOULD THANK THE
AMERICANS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO DATE, AND FOR THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT OFFTAKE IN THE NEXT
FINANCIAL YEAR. YOU SHOULD HOWEVER SAY THAT WE WOULD BE VERY
DISAPPOINTED IF THEY FELT UNABLE TO OFFER ANY HOPE OF AN
INCREASED OFFTAKE: WE FEAR THAT SUCH A RESPONSE MIGHT WELL HAVE A
NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OTHER COUNTRIES, MANY OF WHOM LOOK TO THE US
FOR A LEAD. OUR POSITION WITH THEM WOULD BE CONDIDERABLY
STRONGER IF WE COULD POINT TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE AMERICANS OF
A TANGIBLE GESTURE OF SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY IN RESPONSE TO HMG'S
SCORRI INITIATIVE.
HOWE
*
OCMIAN 3992
NNNN
YYYY
MAIN
LIMITED
SEAD
HKD
UND
NAD
PS/MR RENTON
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
PS/PUS
4
CONFIDENTIAL