TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 140

CODE 18-77

Mr Webb

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

الهد

RELAVED H

51

1 6 AUG 1979

DICK CHEA INDEX

་

STRY ་་་་་

PA

Action Taken

582

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES PICKED UP BY BRITISH SHIPS

1. I believe that the draft below has now been overtaken by events; No 10 have apparently spoken to the Private Office to say that the line we have been taking up to now would be unacceptable to the Prime Minister, because it has been read as suggesting that the Cabinet's decision should not be implemented. I understand that SEAD are now drafting a new submission: would you please check with Mr Wyatt and/or Mr Stitt?

2.

The Hong Kong interest in this problem is indirect, but important: any refugees picked up by British ships and ultimately brought to Britain will mean corresponding reductions in the numbers taken from Hong Kong. To keep this reduction to the minimum, we must, therefore, ensure that in each case every reasonable effort is made to resettle refugees elsewhere before they are brought to Britain. policy proposed by MED is thus the one that suits us. Unfortunately, I do not think that Mr Wyatt's draft argues the case very well. If the draft is going ahead, I should like to suggest a fairly fundamental recasting.

The

16 August 1979

Mr. Qugatill.

871/8

8h.

WE Quantrill

I have spoken to David Wyatt who was aware Although de submission has been put up:

our reservations.

of our

it now includes a

re-drafted and expanded letter which would seem to bring out the

in pura 2. above. The wording was

pointo

a capy is on its way

suggested by SEVED, and

Flubb.

•7/8

CONFIDENTIAL