Mr Ham
HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
REC
12 SEP 1988
HKCK 243/11
22 SEP 1986
FROM PI WESTMACOTT
Y
......
Mek.
DATE: 11 September 1986
cc: PS/Mr Eggar
Dr Wilson
Mr Adams, SEAD Mr Williams, UND
36
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG: RESETTLEMENT IN THE UK
1.
2.
Mr Renton was grateful for your submission of 8 September.
He has two difficulties with your draft minute to the Home Secretary. First, he felt it was unnecessarily long, given that Home Office Ministers are well aware of the background to the Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong. Secondly, if we accept - as your draft does, but only in the last paragraph that the Home Secretary will not take a decision on a new offtake until Mr Waddington has reported back after his visit to Hong Kong, Mr Renton thinks this is the wrong kind of minute to send to the Home Office at this stage. He would prefer a shorter minute which begins by drawing attention to the likely coincidence of the filling of this year's quota with Mr Waddington's visit, which may well put Mr Waddington under some pressure while he is in Hong Kong. The minute should then explicitly accept that the Home Secretary will wish to await Mr Waddington's report before deciding on a new programme, but go on to argue in favour of Mr Waddington being able to refer in Hong Kong to a run-on of the existing quota in order to avoid a hiatus. The minute might end with a concise restatement of the reasons why we hope that, on Mr Waddington's return, the Home Secretary will quickly agree to a new annual offtake programme.
3. Since time is short, I am sure Mr Renton will not mind if you decide to put a revised draft direct to the
Private Secretary, with a side copy" for Mr Renton's weekend box.
Previte Secretary
I have amended
고
the delt alay the
lives windented by
A Vestavett.
C. PS15h Renter
PS/ Gygr
Dr Wilm
SCAD
UND
Juest
P J Westmacott
PS/Mr Renton
mawr
CONFIDENTIAL
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