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This looks v. gloomy.
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1871
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Thin NKK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
2 1 NOV 1980
QUEEN ANNE'S CA
DECK OFFICER
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LONDON SWIH 9AT REGISTRY
Action Taken
Awziln
15 March 18
RS / Mr Blake- Mr Donald
see (82
87
Ca
23_400
H
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
I was glad of the opportunity to have another talk with the Governor of Hong Kong last week. He put to me with his usual moderation and persuasiveness the case for our agreeing in principle at any rate to accept a further quota of, say, 5,000 refugees.
Much though I would like to help, I do see the most severe difficulties, political and practical. I explained to the Governor that our decision to accept 10,000 was taken by the Cabinet and that I could not, in any event, agree to take more without another Cabinet decision. His immediate concern is that we should not give a negative response at this stage.
I am very willing to duck the issue as long as I can, although pressure for undertakings by sympathetic M.P.'s and others is bound to make this more difficult. The Governor for his part sees no need for any public statement by us before the end of January at the earliest.
Meanwhile we shall watch the figures in Hong Kong's regular telegrams carefully. I will put the case to our colleagues in due course if you consider that the Governor's anxieties about significant numbers remaining in Hong Kong look like being realised. But it is only fair to tell you now, as I told the Governor, that I do not think the Cabinet will agree to take another quota and that although I would not oppose a decision the other way I would be bound to express my serious reservations about its advisability.
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The Rt. Hon. Lord Carrington, K.C.M.G., M.C.
CONFIDENTIAL
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