TNAG-0971-FCO40-1190-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1980 — Page 47

NKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

2.1.NOV 1980

CONFIDENTIAL.

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Алю

джи

REGISTRY Action Taken

AW 241

3861 - 1

PP HONG KONG

GRS 180

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 181735Z NOV 80

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1033 OF 18 NOV

FOR GOVERNOR AND CLIFT

FROM MORRICE

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

See (83

TOP COPY

81

1. FOLLOWING YOUR MEETING WITH THE HOME SECRETARY MR WHITELAW

HAS WRITTEN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE POINTING TO THE SEVERE

POLITICAL AND PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES POSED BY AN ADDITIONAL QUOTA.

HE DOES NOT THINK THE CABINET WOULD APPROVE IT AND HE WOULD BE

BOUND TO EXPRESS HIS SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT ITS ADVISABILITY,

ALTHOUGH HE WOULD NOT OPPOSE A DECISION IN FAVOUR.

2. MR WHITELAW PROPOSES NO IMMEDIATE ACTION BUT SAYS HE WILL PUT

THE CASE TO COLLEAGUES IN DUE COURSE, IF LORD CARRINGTON CONSIDERS

THAT THE CONCERN ABOUT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS REMAINING IN HONG KONG

IS LIKELY TO BE REALISED. I PROPOSE THAT IN REPLY THE SECRETARY

OF STATE ARGUE THAT HMG NEEDS TO ACCEPT A FURTHER QUOTA OTHERWISE

US - AND POSSIBLY OTHERS WILL NOT CONTINUE THEIR RESETTLEMENT

-

PROGRAMMES FOR HONG KONG AT PRESENT RATES.

3. ARE THERE ANY OTHER POINTS YOU WOULD WISH SECRETARY OF STATE

TO MAKE AT THIS STAGE?

CARRINGTON

LIMITED

HKGD

SEAD

UND

MR DONALD

COPIES то

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON W1

CONFIDENTIAL

821