Our reference:
IN
夏
Your reference:
HER 2008|1
PA
No Jala
MK O Simpson-Orlebar Esq
United Nations Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office King Charles Street LONDON
SW 1A 2AH
HOME OFFICE
Queen Anne's Gate, LONDON, SW1H 9AT
Direct line: 01-213 -7292
Switchboard 01-213 3000
hover
Mr The hover
1. Nothing
2.
2 February 1979
PA
324
7/2
the
I have discussed with UND: they already had a telegram in draft, making many of
draft
points in the doubt below. I have therefore lewed a text (addressed to the PA) which ovenes the need to meet the Home Office's timetable, while showing rather more appreciation than the Houpperently have of Hong Kong's genuine difficulties.
Dear Machine
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
W.E. Chatill
572.
In speaking to Colin Birt last night, I discovered to my surprise that the Hong Kong government have apparently been suggesting that they have been so nindated with offers from other parts of the world that they now need not trouble us to take the 1,000 we have already agreed to accept. I leave aside, for the moment, the obvious comments that could be made about the trouble our respective departments have been put to in accommodating their earlier demands, but I am anxious at this stage, to put two points on record. First, if Hong Kong cannot supply us with 1,000, the balance of the 1,500 will have to be redistributed between Malaysia and Thailand. If 80,
it would seem necessary to make some form of public announcement to correct the quite explicit undertaking in the recent PQ. Secondly, I feel particularly strong that if we are to accept refugees from Hong Kong we should have first pick of whoever is there. It would be quite unacceptable in my opinion, for the UK government to allow any other country who may have made offers to syphon off those who stand the best chance of ttling in advanced industrial countries leaving us to fill the Hong Kong quota (whatever that may be) with whatever is left. I would go as far as mying that if Hong Kong are not prepared to let us have first pick and if the remainder do not meet our strict selection standards, they run the risk of us not being willing to accept anybody from the colony. I shall be expressing these views to Colin Birt but you may feel you ought to convey these views to the Hong Kong government. I have no doubt that you can find suitable diplomatig terms in which to express this!
your imanly
Michael Hea
ME HEAD
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.