CONFIDENTIAL
{
SHALL BE MEETING OFFICIALS FROM MACAU TOMORROW AND WILL URGE THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF AN UNIFORM APPROACH TO THIS PROBLEM.
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5. THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL SHARE OUR CONCERN THAT THIS WILL BE AN INCREASINGLY SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THE CHINESE DO NOT AGREE TO REPATRIATION. THEY HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WHICH STRENGTHENS OUR IMPRESSION THAT REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM ARE ABLE TO MOVE WITH CONSIDERABLE FREEDOM IN CHINA AND THAT MANY WOULD GO TO PEI HAI IF THEY BELIEVED THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO JOIN OR PURCHASE A JUNK FOR TRAVEL TO HONG KONG OR MACAU. THE AMERICANS BELIEVE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT BY FISHING JUNKS BETWEEN HAIPHONG AND PEI HAI.
6. THE CONSULATE-GENERAL HAS EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO ELICIT ANY INFORMATION ON WASHINGTON'S ATTITUDE BEYOND A STATEMENT THAT SUCH PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CURRENT LONG-RANGE PAROLE
PROGRAMME. THEY ARE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE CHANCES OF PLACES BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN THE US UNDER ANY OTHER SCHEME. APART FROM THE POTENTIAL NUMBERS INVOLVED, THEY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO FIND SPONSORS FOR PEOPLE FROM NORTH VIETNAM (ONLY 60 OF THE 563 ARE FROM THE SOUTH).
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7. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, WE SHOULD LIKE TO RECORD OUR AGREEMENT WITH PARA 4 OF TELNO 924 TO FCO (NOT TO ALL), IE THAT IT WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE CHINA TO RECEIVE NEW REFUGEES FROM INDO-CHINA. WE NEED TO USE ALL THE LEVERAGE WE CAN TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT BACK THOSE WHO
HAVE IN PRACTICE ALREADY BEEN SETTLED IN CHINA.
FCO PASS SAVING HANO I
MACLEHOSE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
FILES
HK & GD (6)
FED
MVD
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
PUSD
FS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
MA MURRAY
-2- CONFIDENTIAL
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