TNAG-0896-FCO40-1106-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 323

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HKK 24

00 HONG KONG

NO JUISTALCON

No AW

1814

GR 130

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 061820Z AUG 79

MR. Cortazzi

नर

MR Murray

AR McLaren (HKNGD)

MR SETT

(522)

see 1530

TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 626 OF 6 AUGUST

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM CORTAZZI. MY TEL NO 625 RUDDBANK.

YOU WILL UNDERSTAND OUR DIFFICULTIES. IF WE WERE TO GIVE YOU AN

UNDERTAKING TO BRING THE REFUGEES ON THIS BRITISH SHIP STRAIGHT

TO THE UK WE WOULD PROBABLY BE ASKED PUBLICLY WHETHER THESE WOULD COUNT AGAINST OUR 10,000 QUOTA. AS YOU KNOW THIS WOULD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JOINT DECISION OF MINISTERS, HAVE TO BE THE CASE AND IT

WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO OBSCURE THIS FACT.

2. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH DAVID WILSON AND RECOGNISE YOUR DIFFICULTIE

ABOUT MAKING AN EXCEPTION IN THIS CASE. BUT I AM MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT

LIKELY AMERICAN REACTIONS TO WHAT THEY MAY WELL REGARD AS AN

ILLIBERAL BRITISH/HONG KONG RESPONSE.

3. I SHOULD WELCOME YOUR URGENT ADVICE ON THE BEST WAY OF DEALING

WITH OUR DILEMMA.

CARRINGTON

NNNN

;