TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 238

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4. I said I could give no such assurance and certainly could not guarantee that Mr Hartling would receive any early state- ment of Britain's position. However I did not see that this Britain need affect Mr Hartling's world-wide consultations. was not sponsoring the conference. The Prime Minister had put the proposal to the UN Secretary-General and it was clear from his reply to her that he would call it under his aegis. Thus we were only one of all the countries whom the UNHCR would be consulting and I failed to see why a rapid declaration of intent from the UK was a necessary prerequisite. I could do no more than draw Mr Heidler's attention to public statements as indicating the British Government's position.

5. Mr Heidler said that UNHCR took the view that unless the main countries involved in refugee operations played a decisive rôle, there was no chance that other countries could be per- suaded to involve themselves, and he could not see how UNHCR could continue his consultations without knowing what part Britain was going to play. I said I took note of this but still regarded it as important to know what the rest of the world was doing.

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6. Two hours later Mr Heidler telephoned again to say that he had spoken with Mr Hartling in Geneva explaining, as he put it, the difficulties which he sensed the British Government would find in making any commitments in advance of a conference. Mr Hartling then approved a form of words which Mr Heidler should put to us as a statement of UNHCR's position.

This is:-

"What we are seeking is the knowledge that if the conference arrives at an agreed plan for the solution of the problem, Britain will play its rôle in the application of the plan".

I said I would make some comment on this as soon as possible, but he should not expect anything soon.

7.

Mr Heidler's involvement is a complicating factor because he is here on the spot in London and is determined to get some answer from the British Government I do not see that we can advise Ministers. until we have a report from Mr James Murray of his discussion in Geneva this afternoon with UNHCR's Deputy. Depending on this, however, we may have to advise Ministers that our effort to get Dr Waldheim to remain in control of the whole proposal for a conference may be weakened if we cannot offer something approaching the formula proposed by UNHCR channels.

8 June, 1979

D F Murray

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