COHAJY
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/12
Private
Private Secretary
RESETTLEMENT OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1.
A
From:
163 fir
Sauretanoffante
CO Hum
Ketter
Hong Kong Department
Date:
22 December 1988
Cc:
PS/Lord Glenarthur
PS/Mr Eggar
PS/PUS
Mr Gillmore
Mr McLaren
Mr Colvin, SEAD
Mr Burns, News Department
Now that our new resettlement commitment has been announced,
we are in a position to reply to the outstanding letter from
Miss Lydia Dunn, and to letters from MPs seeking our comments on it.
2.
As a first step I submit a draft letter to No 10 Downing
Street, together with a draft letter from the Prime Minister to
Miss Lydia Dunn. On the central issue of resettlement it follows
the line of Mr Eggar's statement in the House of Commons earlier
today. It would however be helpful if the Prime Minister could be
a little more specific about the rate of resettlement envisaged if
the new programme goes ahead. There is no difference between
Ministers on this point, and I imagine that Mr Powell took the details out of Mr Eggar's statement for essentially presentational
reasons. In Hong Kong presentational conditions point the other
way. I have therefore reinserted a small amount of detail: I do
not think there is any need to draw attention to it in the covering
letter.
сбонит
CO Hum
CONFIDENTIAL