GRO 180
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESKDY 11120OZ FCO
TELNO 476
OF 111125Z AUGUST 1986
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENT I AL
PA
INFC ROUTINE BANGKOK, HANOI, KUALA LUMPUR
(23)
YOUR TELNO 319: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. WE WELCOME THE PROPOSED STRATEGY OUTLINED IN YOUR TUR. WE AGREE
THE FIRST STEP COULD BE TO ASSOCIATE OURSELVES WITH THE HONOLULU GROUP. WE THINK THIS WOULD BE COMPARATIVELY EASY AND WOULD BE WELCOMED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, PARTICULARLY AUSTRALIA.
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2. HOWEVER, WE WOULD HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT OUR PRESENCE IN THE GROUP MIGHT INCREASE PRESSURE ON US FROM THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT
COUNTRIES (PARTICULARLY THE US) TO TAKE YET MORE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT OUR AIM WAS TO
FIND A SOLUTION TO THE WHOLE PROBLEM AND NOT MERELY TO DISCUSS
RESETTLEMENT ASPECTS. WITH THIS IN MIND WE AGREE WITH YOUR
PARAGRAPH 3.
3. WE AGREE THE SUGGESTED TINING (TO START EARLY SEPTEMBER), AND THAT OCTOBER EXCOM WOULD PROVIDE A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IN THE MARGINS. WE SUSPECT THAT THE SUBJECT MAY COME UP FOR SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION IN PLENARY. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT
THE MAIN POLICY LINES DE THRASHED OUT WELL BEFORE THEN WITHIN THE
EXPANDED HONOLULU GROUP.
4.
IT MIGHT BE WORTH REINFORCING PRELIMINARY APPROACHES WITH HONOLULU GROUP MISSIONS IN GENEVA BY SEPARATE APPROACHES IN EACH CAPITAL CONCERNED.
SANKEY
HKK 243/1
YYYY
GBLNAN 1501
2 7 AUG 1986
T
in Laken
NNNN LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
PS/MR RENTON SIR W HARDING
CONFIDENTIAL
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