SECRET
SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 350
OF 081425Z FEBRUARY 88
HUD 243/5
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HKD
OUR TELNO 345: VISIT OF MR HEATH
1.
COVERED
YOU MIGHT FIND HELPFUL A FULLER ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MR HEATH, WHICH
TWO ISSUES:
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
(A)
(I)
050324
MDHOAN 8301
(II) MR HEATH LISTENED CAREFULLY TO THE EXPLANATION AND LOOKED THOUGHTFUL. BUT HE GAVE NO INDICATION OF THE LINE THAT HE WOULD TAKE WHEN HE WAS IN HONG KONG. HE ASKED ONLY ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS TO BE INTRODUCED AND EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN THAT THE PROPORTION WAS RATHER LOW.
(B) VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
(I) THE SECRETARY OF STATE SPOKE EQUALLY FRANKLY ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG. RESETTLEMENT PLACES WERE DWINDLING, AND IN ANY EVENT ANY RESETTLEMENT THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE RISKED REVIVING THE PULL FACTOR AND GIVING MORE PEOPLE AN INCENTIVE TO LEAVE VIETNAM. NO DOUBT IT WOULD THEORETICALLY BE POSSIBLE FOR HONG KONG TO ABSORB THE PRESENT CAMP POPULATION WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, BUT TO DO SO WOULD SIMPLY STIMULATE A CONTINUING FLOW. IT APPARENTLY CAME AS SOMETHING OF A REVELATION TO MR HEATH THAT THE TYPICAL REFUGEE TODAY WAS NOT A PERSECUTED
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