TNAG-0881-FCO40-1091-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 80

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 243 RASAVAL

243/1

1

INDEX

Y DO. 51

19 FEB 779:

PA

PS/Mr Luard

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

un

No

Jeda

CLE

cc: Sir A Parsons

SEAD

HK&GD

383

Mr Cortazzi

Mr Murray

Mr Simpson-Orlebar

M&VD News D

AN ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE FOR INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES

1. Please see Mr Simpson-Orlebar's submission and Mr Cortazzi's comments on it.

366

2. I think it would be useful if Mr Luard could hold an

office meeting to thrash this out. In advance of this we

might try to find out how our Community partners and the Americans are thinking of reacting to the UNHCR's paper, if indeed they have not already done 80. We certainly do not want to give the appearance of being negative in comparison with other donor/resettlement countries.

I fully accept that it would be very difficult for the Government to

make any commitments about taking more refugees here. On the other hand, I agree with Mr Cortazzi that if in the event the UNHCR decides to support the island idea and other "analogue" countries go along with this we should consider giving financial and material support.

3. While these soundings are being taken, the reply to the UNHCR should be held up (paragraph 12 (ii) of Mr Simpson- Orlebar's submission).

4. Incidentally, I note from Manila telegram no 76 of 13 February that the idea of a processing centre was hardly discussed at the meeting which General Romulo held with Heads of Mission in Manila yesterday to discuss the refugee problem.

14 February 1979

JHG Leahy

CONFIDENTIAL