TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 75

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GIVEN TO DEALING WITH THE VERY REAL PROBLEM OF A LARGE INCREAS IN THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES AND THE LIKELY CONTINUATION OF THIS TREND. HE SAID THAT THE SUBJECT OF VIETNAM REFUGEES WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT LUNCH AT TOKYO. HE WAS SURE THAT PRESIDENT CARTER WOULD WANT TO GIVE IT CONSIDERABLE PROMINENCE.

B. HOLBROOKE OUTLINED A TENTATIVE SCENARIO FOR THE COMING WEEKS STARTING WITH WHAT CARTER HAD SAID TO BREZHNEV IN VIENNA ABOUT VIET-- NAM (WHICH THEY RECOGNISED WOULD NOT YIELD IMMEDIATE RESULTS) AND GOING ON THROUGH THE TOKYO SUMMIT, THE BALI MEETING WITH ASEAN COUNTRIES, AND THEN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, A CONFERENCE ON RESETTLE-

MENT.

C. THE AMERICANS HAD BEEN CONSIDERING A POSSIBLE SECURITY COUNCIL

DEBATE, USING ARTICLE 34, WHICH THEIR NEW YORK MISSION THOUGHT

APPLICABLE.

D. CLARK (CO-ORDINATOR ON REFUGEE AFFAIRS) RESPONDED TO THE

GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF REF-

UGEE ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG AND THE OFFTAKE BY SAYING THAT THE US

WOULD HAVE A FLEXIBLE APPROACH WITH ADJUSTMENTS MONTH BY MONTH. THEY

WERE DOING THEIR SUMS AT THE MOMENT. HE IMPLIED THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE GIVEN A HIGHER QUOTA TO MATCH RECENT INCREASED ARRIVALS. CLARK

EMPHASISED HOWEVER THAT THE US FELT A PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITY

TOWARDS CERTAIN LAND-CROSSERS FROM LAOS TO THAILAND WHO HAD PREVIOUS CONNECTIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES. THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE GIVEN

FAVOURABLE TREATMENT IN THE OVERALL QUOTA.

E. THE AMERICANS HAD BEEN IMPRESSED BY WHAT WAS APPARENTLY SAID PRIVATELY BY PRIME MINISTER CLARK OF CANADA OVER THE WEEKEND ABOUT HIS WISH TO TAKE A MAJOR NEW CANADIAN INITIATIVE ON REFUGEES BEFORE THE TOKYO SUMMIT. THEY WERE INSTRUCTING THEIR AMBASSADOR TO ENCOUR-

AGE THIS.

F. THE GOVERNOR EMPHASISED THAT TO HOLD PUBLIC OPINION IN HONG KONG (AND THE SAME MIGHT APPLY IN OTHER SE ASIAN COUNTRIES) IT WAS NECESS- ARY TO PROVIDE A CREDIBLE PLAN FOR RELIEVING COUNTRIES OF THE REFUG- EES. THIS NEED NOT NECESSARILY BE IN ONE YEAR OR EVEN TWO SO LONG AS EVENTUAL DISEMBARRASSMENT WAS ASSURED. SUCH AN APPROACH MIGHT STAND MORE CHANCE OF ATTRACTING ADEQUATE BIDS.

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