TNAG-0892-FCO40-1102-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 56

Mr Barltrop

HKK 240/1

PA

B, C.

E, F

Mr Stratton

CHGM:

PROBLEM

POSSIBLE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS ON RACISM, REFUGEES AND THE MEDIA

1. Mr Stratton has undertaken to give Australia House a substantive reply to their request for a British view on the three proposed Australian initiatives for the CHGM, on Racism, Refugees and Communications/Media.

RECOMMENDATION

2.

I recommend

(a) Racism That we should attempt to persuade the Australians to drop the initiative.

(b) Refugees That, with certain provisos, we would not be averse to seeing the Indo-China refugee issue discussed at the CHGM and for the communique to reflect this discussion and take account of the world refugee problem. We do not however wish to adopt the Australian formula for the communique as it stands.

(c) Communications/Media Australian proposal.

That we support the

(a) Following the above replies to Australia House we should instruct the High Commissioner

at Canberra to make the same points at Ministerial level in Canberra.

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3. Mr Cook, Australian Deputy High Commissioner, called on Mr Stratton on 18 June and handed over the attached telegrams on Racism, Refugees and Communications/Media, and asked for a "useful" British reaction as soon as possible.

4. Departmental comments and conclusions on Racism and Refugees have been collated by UN Department and are attached. IPD have submitted separately on the Media and Mr Blaker has agreed with their recommended support for the Australian initiative.

5. The Australian High Commission delivered an additional statement on their Racism initiative on 28 June, and also handed over, in confidence, copies of telegrams from their other posts taking soundings (Ottawa, New Delhi, Nairobi, Wellington, Kingston, Kuala Lumpur, Dar es Salaam, Singapore, Lagos), reporting initial reactions to their racism and media initiatives. The African reaction to the racism initiative was generally favourable; others were more equivocal,

CONFIDENTIAL

/except

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