Confidential
CONTINUATION OF THE PRESENT SITUATION. PERHAPS THE ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME CHOULD BE WOUND DOWN TO UNDERLINE THE POINT. IN HOCKE'S PERSONAL VIEW THE VIETNAMESE MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO STAUNCH THE FLOW IF SOME OF THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED AGREED TO OFFER SOME FORM OF ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE. WHEN THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR (WHO HAD JOINED THE CONVERSATION BY THEN) AND I OBSERVED THAT PAYING "DAMEGELD** OF THIS CHARACTER WAS UNLIKELY TO BE POPULAR IN THE CAPITALS CONCERNED, NCCKE FULLY ACCEPTED THIS. BUT HE ARGUED THAT IF WE WANTED TO CUT BACK THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES LEAVING VIETNAM, SOME RE-THINKING WAS NECESSARY. OTHERWISE THINGS MIGHT DRAG ON AS THEY ARE, ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES LEAVING AT ANY TIME WOULD MOVE UP AND DOWN.
MOSS
LIMITED HKD SEAD
UND
MR WILSON
Confidential