TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 118

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RECEIVED #:RASIr:Yno. 51

3 1 MAY 1979

00 PEKING

GR 370

SECRET

FM FCO 30175OZ MAY 79

IN

No 174.5

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 315 OF 30 MAY 1979

SIRY

FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF HK AND GD

WAS RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 674 OF 30 MAY 1979

PERSONAL FOR CORTAZZI FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELNO 338.

1. WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH THE

S OF S THE WHOLE COMPLEX OF ISSUES REFERRED TO IN YOUR PARA.2.

2. HOWEVER YOUR PARA.3 IS VERY MUCH TO THE POINT. ON RETURN TO

HONG KONG I WOULD BE OBLIGED TO SAY:-

(A) THAT I HAD PRESSED H M G FOR MORE HELP OVER CHINESE AND VIETNAMESE IMMIGRATION:

(B) WHAT PRACTICAL RESPONSE I HAD RECEIVED.

3. I COULD NOT ESCAPE PUBLICITY IN LONDON, BECAUSE THE REFUGEE

ISSUE IS SUCH HOT NEWS. I DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR TO BE GETTING

AT H M G THROUGH THE MEDIA, BUT THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

4. ON VIETNAMESE I PRESUME H M G WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO FURTHER

THAN SAY THEY WILL TAKE THE LEAD IN ORGANISING INTERNATIONAL

MEASURES. BUT UNLESS H M G IS PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE A RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME WHICH TO THEM WOULD BE UNNACEPTABLY HIGH SAY 5,000

-

AT LEAST - THEY WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO HAVE MUCH INTERNATIONAL

INFLUENCE. WHAT THEY COULD CONTRIBUTE IN PARACTICAL TERMS TO

AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT WOULD THUS TAKE SOME TIME TO WORK OUT.

5. ON CHINESE IMMIGRATION A DECISION TO DESPATCH REINFORCEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT TO THE GARRISON WOULD HELP A GREAT DEAL (WE AND C B F WILL BE TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY ABOUT THESE). BUT HERE AGAIN IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR DECISIONS EVEN IF HONG KONG WERE TO UNDERTAKE TO PAY THE COST.

6. FOR ALL THESE REASONS I THINK MORE TIME FOR HOMEWORK IS NEEDED AND THAT A VISIT NEXT WEEK MIGHT BE TOO SOON. WOULD THE WEEK BEGINNING 11TH JUNE BE CONVENIENT TO THE S OF S AND STAND A GREATER CHANCE OF HAVING SOME DEFINITE OUTCOME?

7. ONE OBJECTION TO THE WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 11TH IS THAT IT COULD DELAY AN APPROACH TO THE CHINESE. IN MY OPINION THE DELAY WOULD BE ENTIRELY ACCEPTABLE IF IT RESULTED IN ABILITY

TO ANNOUNCE SIMULTANEOUSLY A DECISION TO DESPATCH REINFORCEMENTS ETC.

8. SUBSIDIARY BUT NOT CONCLUSIVE ARGUMENTS AGAINST NEXT WEEK ARE:-

(4) THE DUKE OF KENT WILL BE HERE ON SUNDAY/MONDAY:

(3) I AM COMMITTED TO GIVING A DINNER FOR 150 ON JUNE 6TH.

9. PLEASE CONSIDER COPYING THIS AND YOUR TEL UNDER REF TO PEKING.

CARRINGTON

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