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From:
Cober 16
10 JUN 1988)
PS/Lord Glenarthur
9
CC:
Mr Gillmore
2
Date: 10 June 1988
PS/Mr Eggar
Mr McLaren 5 Mr Hum, HKD Mr Colvin, SEAD Mr Williams, UND
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:
1.
RESETTLEMENT IN THE UK
Lord Glenarthur hopes that the Secretary of State will agree to seek a bilateral meeting with the Home Secretary to discuss the further resettlement in the UK of Vietnamese boat people (Mr Hum's submission of 9 June, below)
2.
35
Lord Glenarthur is convinced that we must make a new commitment to take in Vietnamese refugees if we are to have a chance of persuading others to do so; and that this is the moment. He also agrees that anything less than a thousand will look like picking at the edges of an increasingly sizeable problem.
3. Lord Glenarthur does not underestimate the Prime Minister's likely resistance to such a proposal, even after the huge recent influx into Hong Kong. He thinks it particularly important to emphasise that, unlike before, the problem is now finite.
4. Lord Glenarthur hopes that it may be possible to move fast enough either to link an announcement with his visit; or at least to pre-date Secretary of State Shultz's visit to Hong Kong in July (perhaps enabling Mr Shultz to respond in some way during his visit).
5.
If Ministers agree to take more refugees, Lord Glenarthur has noted that it will be very important to do everything possible to ensure that the announcement is not misunderstood in Vietnam, and that we do not promote a further flood of boat people.
Davis cumaras
David Reddaway
PS/Lord Glenarthur
10 June 1988
CONFIDENTIAL