TNAG-0895-FCO40-1105-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 295

J.3

GILMOUR:

SIR I.

I a

am grateful to my h F for his

remarks

perfectly

many more

I beleive that we have taken the right step. He is

right in saying that other countries are taking refugees than Britain.

MR. ASHLEY: Is not the truth of the matter that it is as politically unpopular now to help refugees from Vietnam as it was to help refugees from Nazi Germany in 1938 and 1939?

historical grounds for There were no

admitting the refugees from Nazi Germany. It is equally a matter of life and death for the Indo-Chinese refugees as it was for the Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. Therefore, should not the Govt defy popular prejudice and the National Front by Laccepting (National Front's

repudiating the/harassment.

and

a far larger number than the 10,000 that was announced today? Moreover, should not the Govt provide those refugees with jobs

and housing, in the face of unpopular public opinion?

}

SIR I. GILMOUR: I agree with the h G to some extent, but I do not believe that he is right to sniff at what we are doing. We are making a considerable contribution and I do not believe that it should be underestimated.

#t

I agree that it is

something that we should do and it would be wrong for us not to do it. There is a parallel with previous tragedies of the past, and none of us would want to repeat those.

MR. LATHAM: The rh G is talking about hundreds and thousands of people who have been or are being drowned or

murdered by pirates.

hear

deeply

regretful to

(Mr. Powell)?

Is the

La

Laware

aware that many h Ma were

the remarks of the rh M for Down, South

There are many in the country and on both sides