TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 126

GRS 150

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

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GISTRY NO

3 1 MAY 1979

F C 0 291915Z MAY 79

་

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TEL NO 339 OF 29 MAY

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM CORTAZZI

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для

Action Taken

1. THE PRIME MINISTER IS MOST RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT REFUGEES OFF THE ROACHBANK BECASUE SHE FEARS THAT THIS WILL INCREASE THE . FRESSURE NOT ONLY ON US BUT ALSO ON HONG KONG. SHE HAS

INSTRUCTED THAT A PUBLIC APPEAL SHOULD BE MADE TO THE TAIWANESE TO ACCEPT THE REFUGEES AND WE HAVE ASKED MR BLAKER IN WASHINGTON

TO URGE THE AMERICANS TO USE THEIR GOOD OFFICES. WE ARE ALSO de

Dee (812) FROPOSING THAT SHE SHOULD ASK LEE KUAN YEW WHETHER HE CAN FIND ANY WAY OF APPEALING TO THE TAIWANESE. THE PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT HOWEVER THINK THAT THIS IS ENOUGH AND HAS URGED THAT WE SHOULD SEND AN ENVOY TO TAIWAN TO APPEAL DIRECT TO THE TAIWANESE GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE POINTED OUT THE STRONG OBJECTIONS TO SENDING A MINISTER OR A SENIOR OFFICIAL AND HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING WHETHER AN APPROPRIATE UNOFFICIAL EMISSARY COULD BE FOUND. THE DIFFICULTY OF SENDING ANYONE FROM HERE IS THE TIME FACTOR. MOREOVER THERE ARE FEW PROMINENT PEOPLE IN BRITAIN WITH STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH TAIWAN

2. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE WONDERING WHETHER ONE OF THE TOP CHINESE BUSINESSMEN IN HONG KONG WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH TAIWAN WOULD BE WILLING TO UNDERTAKE SUCH A TASK.

GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EARLY VIEWS ON THIS IDEA AND SUGGESTION OF A POSSIBLE NAME OR NAMES

CARRINGTON

FILES

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FED

SEAD

UND

PS

PS/SIRIGILMOUR

PSjMR BLAKER

PS/PUS

MR CORMAZZI MR MURRAY

NFIDENTIAL

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