CONFIDENTIAL
146453
MDHIAN 7703
SIMILARLY, THE ARRANGEMENT THE US HAD MADE WITH FRANCE WAS WELCOME: BUT THE NUMBERS INVOLVED WERE MINUTE. AS FOR THE IMPORTANCE THE US ATTACHED TO THE UK INCREASING ITS INTAKE IF THE UNITED STATES WAS TO DO MORE, IT WAS SCANT COMFORT TO MAKE THAT POINT TO ME.
9. I TOLD KOBLER I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE HIM WITH ANY ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEMS WE NOW FACED. A COMBINATION OF MORE ARRIVALS, FEWER DEPARTURES AND RAPIDLY GROWING FRUSTRATION AMONG THE PEOPLE AND POLITICIANS OF HONG KONG CAUSED ME IMMENSE CONCERN. I DID NOT KNOW HOW OUR PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED: BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT SOME SOLUTION WOULD HAVE TO BE FOUND.
10. KOBLER SAID THAT HE APPRECIATED THE EXTENT OF THE POLITICAL PROBLEM IN HONG KONG. THE CONSULATE-GENERAL HAD TRIED TO REFLECT THIS TO WASHINGTON. THE US GOVERNMENT HAD ON MANY OCCASIONS REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO DEALING IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY WITH THE PROBLEMS OF PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM AND TO RESETTLING AS MANY REFUGEES AS POSSIBLE. THEY HAD BEEN CONCERNED BY WHAT APPEARED TO THEM TO BE ATTEMPT TO FORM A CONSENSUS TO LIMIT THE CONCEPT OF FIRST ASYLUM. THEY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THIS CONCEPT THREATENED WHILE WE GROPED COLLECTIVELY FOR DURABLE SOLUTIONS. HE WAS REASSURED BY MY CLARIF- ICATION OF THE PURPOSE OF FRENCH'S VISITS.
AN
11. I COMMENTED THAT THERE SEEMED UNFORTUNATELY TO BE VERY LITTLE PROGRESS IN FINDING A DURABLE SOLUTION. HONG KONG HAD ABIDED BY THE 1979 UNDERSTANDING BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TERRITORY: BUT RESETTL- MENT COUNTRIES COULD NO LONGER CLAIM THE SAME. IT WAS HARDLY REASONABLE TO TELL US TO CONTINUETO ACCEPT PEOPLE WHO, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, COULD NOT BE RESETTLED.
12. KOBLER ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION IN WASHINGTON ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. NO-ONE HAD PRODUCED ANY COMPREHENSIVE ANSWERES: BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE EVENTUAL SOLUTIONWOULD HAVE TO INVOLVE REPATRIATION. HE ASKED ON A PERSONAL BASIS WHAT THE EFFECT WOULD BE IF THE UNHCR COULD BE PERSUADED TO PAY FOR THE PROPOSED NEW CLOSED CAMPS IN HONG KONG. I SAID THAT IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP IF THEY PAID FOR THE NEW CAMPS AND PAID A GREATER PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF THE EXISTING ONES. BUT I DOUBTED IF THIS ALONE WOULD COMPLETELY RESOLVE OUR PRESENT DIFFICULTIES. I REPEATED THAT I HOPED THAT WASHINGTON UNDERSTOOD THAT HONG KONG NOW FACED A SERIOUS AND GROWING PROBLEM.
WILSON
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