TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 179

CONFIDENTIAL

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MR MCLAREN'S SUBMISSION OF 11 JUNE: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: APPROACH TO THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR (REFUGEES":

PS/Mr Blaker

112/07;

HKK 2431

RECEIVED &

NO.

11.6.51 ir aughter 1/6

17

DESA INDEX

PA

wurgh Jr13.6

1.

I agree with the Department's vi61 think the next stage

is to let UKMIS Geneva know as soon as possible when Mr Blaker is

able to go there so that Sir J Murray can start setting up appointments. This could be done by telephone. Subject to

Mr Blaker's views, I see no need for an FCO official to accompany him as Sir J Murray is fully seized of all aspects of the problem.

2. Finance of UNHCR. I have had a word with Mr Fogarty in ODA, following up Mr Cortazzi's minute at Flag C. He has advised Mr Marten that extra finance is going to be very difficult indeed, and questions whether, if we cannot offer more places for refugees

in this country, an extra financial contribution will cut any ice.

This is a valid point, but I assume the Minister of State sees no prospect of Ministerial agreement on a declared offer to take more refugees at this stage. (The subject is bound to come up in a different context, however, when the Governor of Hong Kong talks to

various Ministers including the Prime Minister: the argument being

that we cannot expect other countries to do anything significant for Hong Kong in terms of refugee places unless we do more

ourselves. This point is covered in the briefing for No 10 which has been submitted separately.) Given this position, I believe

that the Minister of State must be authorised to volunteer a

further financial contribution when he is in Geneva: contrary to

Mr Fogarty's views, it will be the least that will be expected of us if we cannot make any promises about refugee intake. I suggest - and Mr Fogarty agrees that Mr Blaker should have a word with Mr Marten about all this, without further minuting.

3.

If necessary, officials could attend.

4. On the question of UNHCR's limited understanding with the Vietnamese Government, which I would expect to feature quite a lot

in whatever Mr Hartling says to Mr Blaker, I have already given a

preliminary view to the Australians: see paragraph 3 of FCO telegram to Canberra No 220, inserted as Flag E.

cc PS/PUS, Sir A Duff, Mr Cortazzi

SEAD, UND, HKGD.

12 June 1979

CONFIDENTIAL.

D F Murray