TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 111

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agencies to cope with more than 130 refugee arrivals each month beginning 1 April.

6. Home Office officials said that on the above basis they would be prepared to recommend to the Home Secretary that he write to the Foreign Secretary giving agreement to the proposal in Dr Owen's minute of 6 December. But they would advise the Home Secretary that

while it would not be necessary to put this request formally to Cabinet Committee (OCR), he should draw the Prime Minister's attention

to the wider problem in a minute copied to other Ministers concerned. This minute would spotlight the cloud on the horizon, particularly so far as Hong Kong was concerned. They would recommend that the Home Secretary enclose a draft of this minute, for comment, when he replies to Dr Owen. We agreed to this proposed way of proceeding (which was a welcome improvement on a Treasury proposal we were resisting that the whole issue be deferred for decision some weeks hence). On timing, it is hoped that the Home Secretary's reply

will come forward by early next week.

4 January, 1978

cc

PS

PS/Lord Goronwy Roberts

PS/PUS

Mr Weir

Mr Leahy

Mr Murray

Mr Simons SEAD

Mr McLaren HK&GD

Mr Samuel FED

Mr Whyte News Department

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M Reith

United Nations Department