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PS/Mr Maude
CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Stout to 868
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From: RJT McLaren
Date:
Cc:
24 November 1989
Private Secretary Mr Gillmore
Mr Colvin, SEAD
Mr Paul, HKD
HKB
24319
Food
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
1.
There was a lively discussion about the Vietnamese boat people problem at a Hong Kong Association lunch which I attended today. Most of those present (list attached) accepted that HMG would go ahead with mandatory repatriation but thought (unsurprisingly) that it would be politically very hazardous.
2. Sir Adrian Swire, Chairman of Swires, took me aside after the lunch. He said that he and some of his colleagues were very conscious of the criticism likely to fall on the heads of anyone concerned with "forcible" repatriation. They had considered very carefully whether Cathay Pacific should take on the task of repatriating non-volunteers. They had taken a firm decision to respond positively to the Hong Kong Government's request. They would do the job, distasteful though it might be.
3.
It is of course in Cathay Pacific's interests to help the Hong Kong Government cope with this intractable problem. They will earn brownie points in Hong Kong by doing so and will have few detractors in the region. It is nonetheless encouraging to have confirmation from the Chairman of Swires that they have calculated the risks and have decided to go ahead.
MC4AAF
CONFIDENTIAL
RJT McLaren