Mr Burns
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: D H Gillmore W37 270 2156
CC:
20 January 1990 PS/Mr Sainsbury
PS/Mr Maude
Mr McLaren
Mr Beamish Head HKD
SEAD
CÂNÁDA: HONG KONG; CAMBODIA,,CHINA
Не
I should report that M Lavertu, the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, called on me at his request on 26 January. asked for a briefing on Hong Kong/china, Cambodia and VBPS.
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2: I spoke to him frankly and gave him a pretty full background to our current preoccupations on all three issues. I thanked him for Canadian help over VBPS at last week's meeting of the Steering Committee, where the Canadian délégation had played a positive role. He said he thought the US position had reached a point of total incoherence. agréel, but pointed out that, notwithstanding the US position, We would have to reach decisions quickly if the UNHCR was unable to persuade the US Administration to move.
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3. On Cambodia, we discussed the recent meeting of the Fi in Paris. Mr Lavertu asked for views on the Canadian suggestion for a UN mission to Cambodia.
I said I thought
More progress
that this was a helpful idea, but premature. would have first to be made towards a UN-sponsored settlement. Pert pe should look at the idea again after the Jakarta me at n (if this took place) and following the completion of
I thought there the Eies of meetings of the Five. I sai migi.. bẽ ănother after that planned forzi / Yörk in early February:
4:
On Hong Kong and the nationality question, Mr Lavertu was
Just as in not encouraging about Canada's ability to help. the UK, modification to Canada's existing nationality law to enable Hong Kong people to acquire Canadian passports without Completing a prior residence requirement would need legislation. He thought it unlikely that the Canadian government would consider this; it would undermine the structure of the existing law.
I urged him, nonetheless,
encourage his government to examine the possibilities as constructively as possible.
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