CONFIDENTIAL
BOUND TO GIVE RISE TO CONSIDERABLE MISGIVINGS AMONG THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, PARTICULARLY AT THE PRESENT TIME WHEN THERE IS A NATION-WIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SO-CALLED DECADENT WESTERN INFLUENCES AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION - CASSETTES, PRINTED TEE SHIRTS, COMICS, AND SIMILAR TOKENS OF AFFLUENCE WHICH THE CHILDREN WOULD BE LIKELY TO BRING BACK WITH THEM. ONLY IF THE CHILDREN CAME BACK WITH CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL BACKING (THE MFA HAD HINTED TO CLARANCE THAT UNHCR MIGHT WISH TO HELP FINANCIALLY WITH THEIR RESETTLEMENT) WOULD THE FAMILY BE LIKELY TO EMERGE
AS A WHOLE UNSCATHED.
5. WHILE I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOUR OF REPATRIATION AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE, THE REPATRIATION OF MINORS IS BOUND TO RAISE VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS AND I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THIS CASE IS MUCH TOO CONTROVERSIAL TO HOPE TO SERVE AS A TEST CASE FOR A POSSIBLE NEW TREND, HOWEVER DESIRABLE.
FCO PLEASE PASS ALL
TONK IN
LIMITED HK&GD
SEAD
UND
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
[NOT PASSED TO HKGO LONDON BY COD]
PS/LPS PS/PUS
MR DONALD
-2-
CONFIDENTIAL
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