TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 146

GR 220

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 01105OZ FEB 79

TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

2 FEB 1979

RE

RY

283

TELNO 96 OF 1 FEB

FOLLOWING FROM P US

263

YOUR TELNO 186:

INDEX

PA

по

дыг

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE BRIEFED TO DISCUSS WITH MR VANCE THE CONCERN WE FEEL OVER THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO HONG KONG'S POSITION. BUT THEY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF GROUND TO COVER IN A VERY SHORT TIME: AND I CANNOT PROMISE THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO

DO THIS.

2. I AM AFRAID THAT WE SEE DIFFICULTIES ABOUT A SPECIFICALLY ANGLO-AMERICAN INITIATIVE. THE UK IS WELL DOWN THE LEAGUE OF COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN RESETTLING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND OUR ABILITY TO ABSORB MORE IS SEVERLY LIMITED. IF WE PROPOSED AN ANGLO-AMERICAN PLAN, WE COULD COME UNDER PRESSURE TO ADMIT MORE REFUGEES THAN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ABSORB. WE SHOULD MUCH PREFER THE UNHCR TO RETAIN THE LEAD IN SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM.

3. WE ARE CONSIDERING THE PROS AND CONS OF

A CENTRAL COLLECTION POINT IN THE AREA, BUT, AGAIN, WE SEE DIFFICULTIES FOR THE UK IN BECOMING TOO

CLOSELY INVOLVED.

4. I AM SORRY IF THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE UNHELPFUL AT A TIME WHEN YOU ARE UNDER GREAT PRESSURE ON THIS SUBJECT. BUT YOU WELL KNOW HOW SENSITIVE A SUBJECT THIS IS IN THE UK. MEANWHILE HOWEVER WE, AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE,

CONFIDENTIAL

LARE