86-10-23
17:44
HE
R.
28404 MKGOVT G
440434 HKWSH VI
TEXT
2644
TELEX NO. W/M/388
23 OCTOBER 1986
16
Likh 943/13...
14 NOV 1986
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Mill
312
PAnkkel
FOR
DAVID JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY
FROM
KEN WOODHOUSE IN WASHINGTON
COPIED TO BEN TANG IN LONDON (PLS. COPY TO LEEKS AT FCQ)
ANTHONY WOO IN GENEVA (PLS. COPY TO DELIA WALKER AT UKMIS)
MEETING WITH AUSTRALIAN AND CANADIAN REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON
NOTE: SINCE BOTH DECODERS IN HONG KONG HAVE BROKEN DOWN THIS TELEX
IS UNCLASSIFIED. BUT THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES STRESSED THAT
PLEASE PROTECT. THEY WERE SPEAKING INFORMALLY AND CANDIDLY.
ox
AT THEIR REQUEST I MET BILL LUNDY FROM CANADA AND ROD INDER FROM AUSTRALIA. AT MY REQUEST WE CONCENTRATED ON THE IGC.
2.
THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE IGC IS UNCERTAIN. IT NEVER HAS HAD AN AGREED ROLE, BUT THEY SAID THAT
THE IGC HAD EVENTS IN GENEVA HAD MADE THINGS EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN. THOUGHT THAT THE HIGH COMMISSIONER WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE FORCED TO CONSIDER ROOT CAUSE'' SOLUTIONS (SCREENING AND WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE SCREENED OUT). HE HAD SURPRISED THEM BY APPEARING QUITE RESPONSIVE TO THE IDEA AND BY SUBMITTING HIS PAPER DEALING WITH THIS PROPOSAL. THEY NOW THINK THAT THE UNHCR MIGHT PERSUE THIS ISSUE IF
THEN AT LEAST NOT IN EXACTLY IN THE WAY THAT IGC MEMBERS WOULD WISH,
THEY ARGUED THAT IF THE UNHCR WAS IN THE RIGHT GENERAL DIRECTION. DOING THIS, THERE WAS NO (NO) NEED FOR AN IGC AND IT COULD DISBAND. THEY THOUGHT THAT IF THE IGC WERE TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO DIRECT UNHCR'S THINKING IT COULD PROVOKE RESENTMENT AND POSSIBLE HOSTILITY FROM OTHER NON-IGC STATES.
3.
THEY ARGUED THAT EVEN IF IGC WERE TO CONTINUE (IN THE ABSENCE OF THE UNHCR TAKING THE LEAD), ANY EXPANSION IN MEMBERSHIP WOULD TEND TO REDUCE THE FREEDOM OF DISCUSSION AND TO FORMALISE MEETINGS. THIS WOULD REDUCE ITS EFFECTIVENESS BECAUSE FRANK CANDID DISCUSSION OF DIFFICULT ISSUES WAS WHAT MADE IT WORK. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THIS DID NOT (NOT) MEAN THAT HMG SHOULD BE EXCLUDED BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE FUTURE OF IGC AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE ISSUES IT WAS CONSIDERING SHOULD BE CLARIFIED BEFORE CONSIDERING HMG'S APPLICATION TO JOIN. THEY POINTED OUT THAT, IN THIS RESPECT, THE TIMING OF HMG'S APPLICATION WAS UNFORTUNATE.