HKD 243/8
Hong Kong Department
FCO
UNCLASSIFIED
IT MON
R
18nju 28/6 1. SC Mr French, MKS
2 PA
BRITISH EMBASSY
STOCKHOLM
20 June 1988
Pear Department,
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG CHANGE OF POLICY
310
1. In our telegram number 196 of 14 June we reported the action we took in response to the instructions con- tained in your telegrams 132 and 133 to Athens.
285
(286
2. The change of policy has been factually reported in the Swedish press with the point about increasing numbers of Vietnamese staying in Hong Kong fully taken account of. The only editorial comment we have seen was in Dagens Nyheter of 20 June which, while remarking sadly that the door to the west for Vietnamese refugees was once again closed, implies that the increasing numbers of Vietnamese in Hong Kong made the change in policy inevitable. Western countries in general are criticised for not collectively being able to absorb more Vietnamese boatpeople.
Yours ever.
Richard time.
cc: WED, FCO
UNCLASSIFIED
RJ Lyne
Second Secretary
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