TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 94

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Reference

Mr Stimson

REFUGEES

1.

I attach UND's single copy of a telegram from the Governor, Hong Kong to the PUS proposing that the Secretary of State be advised to speak to Mr Vance about a possible Anglo-American plan on refugees.

I understand that the Secretary of State may be leaving for the USA on Thursday, but this will need to be checked with NAMD together with the timing for any brief which needs to be supplied on this subject. I see that SEAD will be receiving the action copy of the telegram and you will wish to speak to them.

2. I mentioned this telegram to Mr Simpson-Orlebar when speaking to him on other subjects this afternoon and asked for his initial reactions. He said he was unenthusiastic about the proposal, but we would need to consider also the terms of any reply which has been received from Washington to the telegram of instructions which we recently sent to a number of posts. He commented that we were very far down the league of countries involved in the problem and that it might not be desirable to try to get into tandem with the Americans, either on refugees or more generally on American policies in South-East Asia (though this would be for SEAD to consider). recalled that the proposal made to the Prime Minister for raising the subject at Guadeloupe had not produced anything.

He

29 January 1979

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Martin Reith UN Department

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Ro. 51

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Pl. copy

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attacked brief & HKRGA nd to SEAD

Um. 31/1