TNAG-0885-FCO40-1095-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 77

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Sir Murray MacLehose GBE KCMG KCVO Governor and Commander-in-Chief HONG KONG

HKK 2431

RECEIVED

MAC. 51

1 MAY 1979 18 May 1979

DESK OPPICAR

MNDEX

RAUNTRY

Action Teken

PA

N.

221.5

684

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. By the time this letter reaches you you will, I hope, have received an account of the Adjournment Debate on 17 May. In preparing a speaking note for Peter Blaker we followed the advice in Hong Kong telegram No 573 as far as possible. But we were obliged to be studiously noncommittal on the key question of accepting more Vietnamese refugees in this country: at this early stage in the life of the new administration neither the Home Office nor Mr Blaker were prepared to say more than that the Government would keep the matter under careful review.

2.

We will do our best, but I fear it will be an uphill battle to convice Ministers that the UK must give a lead by taking a further quota of refugees from Hong Kong.

661

R JT McLaren

Hong Kong and General Department

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