TNAG-0884-FCO40-1094-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 131

F

CONFIDENTIAL

2 -

(aday follows by bay)

3. In a letter to Cortazzi dated 20 April the Indonesian

Ambassador has formally invited British representation

the conference (copy of invitation follows in the bagt

"at ambassadorial level" and on the understanding that delegates

have full powers from their government. The stated objective

of the meeting is:

a)

to obtain firm official commitments regarding

the number of refugees to be accepted from the island;

and

b) to obtain specific financial commitments from

governments to allow the establishment of the centre.

Would you please hold yourself ready to attend?

4. Please approach the Indonesians urgently and at an

appropriately high level about Hong Kong participation in

the scheme. You may speak as in paragraptr 3 above and on

the following lines:

a) the omission of Hong Kong from the proposals will

cause us real difficulty. This is an international

refugee problem, not just confined to ASEAN countries,

and should be tackled as such.

b) Hong Kong with Thailand and Malaysia are the three

major South East Asian destinations for refugees and

Hong Kong has the least room;

c)

despite our logical and constitutional concern to

taken practical stab relieve Hong Kongwe have also had a concern to help the

eeneern

Thais and Malaysians despite our own immigration

commitments

/a).

PRIMETHENWT AL