CONFIDENTIAL
067571
MDLIAN 4242
REFUGEES WOULD BE RESETTLED WITHOUT HAVING ANY ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE FOR NON-REFUGEES. THE PULL FACTOR WAS VERY REAL, AS RECENT RUMOURS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN KUWAIT HAD SHOWN.
8. THIS LESS THAN SATISFACTORY LINE ON VMS WAS REPEATED IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE, WHERE HE SUGGESTED THAT THE REAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM LAY IN ALL THE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES TAKING A FAIR PER CAPITA SHARE OF THE VMS (WHOM HE LOOSELY DESCRIBED AS REFUGEES). HE APPEARED TO TRY TO AVOID THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN REFUGEES AND NON REFUGEES, THOUGH HE DID EXPLICITLY ASSERT THE RIGHT OF ANY GOVERNMENT TO DEPORT ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS.
9.
ON BILATERAL RELATIONS IN GENERAL, WE AGREED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CANADA. MR MULRONEY HOPED THAT CONCLUDING VARIOUS MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WOULD HELP TO BOOST CONFIDENCE AN DEMONSTRATE CANADA'S INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE. IF I HAD ANY FURTHER IDEAS ABOUT WHAT ELSE CANADA COULD DO, I SHOULD LET HIM KNOW. I TOLD HIM THAT WE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE OPENING OF THE HKETO IN TORONTO AND TO THE HONG KONG FESTIVAL IN CANADA NEXT YAR. WE SHOULD USE THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE TO BUILD
UP ECONOMIC CONTACTS BETWEEN US.
ASSESSMENT
10.
OVERALL, A VERY USEFUL DEMONSTRATION OF SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. THE TIMING WAS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL GIVEN THE DEPRESSED ATMOSPHERE CREATED BY OUR LACK OF AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE AIRPORT ISSUE. PITY ABOUT THE UNROBUST POSITION ON VMS. BUT THIS EVIDENTLY REFLECTS MR MULRONEY'S OWN PERSONAL VIEWS. HIS STAFF, AND THE LOCAL COMMISSIONER, WERE UNCOMFORTABLE ON THIS POINT.
WILSON
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