TNAG-0895-FCO40-1105-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 117

CONFIDENTIAL

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YOU MAY ALSO, IF YOU THINK IT APPROPRIATE, ADD THAT HONG KONG'S RECORD OF GRANTING FIRST ASYLUM TO BOAT REFUGEES IS UNIQUELY GOOD, 11S NUMBERS HAVE RISEN SHARPLY AT A TIME WHEN OTHER COUNTRIES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA HAVE STARTED TO TOV BOATS OUT TO SEA, HONG KONG SHOULD NOT BE PENALISED BY HAVING A LOWER RATE OF RESETTLEMENT THAN COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE TAKEN A LESS HUMANITARIAN LINE.

CARRINGTON

FILES SEAD HK & GD

NEWS D M & VD PS PS/LPS

MR FERGUSSON

MR FRETWELL

ADDITIONAL DISTN

BOAT PEOPLE

UND

FED

EESD

NA D

SAD

EID

PUSD OID TPD

PS/IR HURD PS/MR BLAKER

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

SIR A PARSONS

HR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

KR STRATTON

LORD N G LENNOX MR BULLARD

2 CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE,

LONDON