CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
RJT McLaren Esq
Political Adviser
Government Secretariat
HONG KONG
Telephone 01- 233 3184
File
66
Your reference (5) in CR L/M 268/81
Our reference
Date
HKK 026/4
12 November 1981
MICK 02614
RECEIVED
SPORTY NO. S
• Į NOV?98]
DESK OFFICER
Dear Robin,
MR ROBERT BATTERSBY MEP
1.
INDEX
PA
No ₤1311
Thank you for your letter of 4 November.
....
fo
14/4
Mr Battersby
He
called on the department on 12 November. I am glad to say that he confirmed that he was going to go slow on the idea of forming a special Hong Kong group of Conservative MEPs. will, however, be keeping in touch with Claude Burgess and will be prepared to help in any way that the latter thinks useful.
2.
Mr Battersby talked generally about the possibility of getting an 'EC quota' for Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong. He said he had talked to Mr Maurice Foley about this and the latter had been encouraging. Mr Battersby's idea was that
the Community countries as a whole might be prepared to agree to take say 200 refugees a year, with the actual share-out being organised on a case-by-case basis. I must say I have the gravest doubts as to whether anything will come of this, particularly as Mr Battersby stressed that he was only talking about refugees from Hong Kong.
3. Mr Battersby also expressed readiness to help over problems encountered by Hong Kong people travelling to European countries (eg the FRG). This is something that we might bear in mind but, as you know, we are working out our own position for approaches to a number of countries and we certainly do not want Mr Battersby to cross any wires with us.
4. I formed exactly the same impression of Mr Battersby as that given in David Wilson's letter of 18 September.
сс
Что
Dick
RD Clift
31
Hong Kong and General Department
DR Ford Esq MVO OBE, Hong Kong Government Office, LONDON BL Crowe Esq UKREP BRUSSELS
ECD(E), FCO
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