TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 156

GR 365

SECRET

SECRET

796

FM HONG KONG 300320Z MAY 79

TOR

243

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICEIKK 243/1

TELNO.674 OF 30 MAY.

PERSONAL FOR CORTAZZI FROM GOVERNOR.

RECEIVED IN MORRISH NOT DI

31 MAY 1979

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Ло

J31.5

OPY

YOUR TELNO.338.

(WH)

1. I 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. 1 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 PRACTICAL TERMS TO

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

ION

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 ?

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17. ONE