TNAG-1179-FCO40-1481-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

-

asylum countries, in confidence, that they would not be left with the burden for good, there would be implacable political opposition in America to any such undertakings. The US intended however "to send a variety of signals to Vietnam, designed to break the impression that resettlement in the USA is virtually automatic if you can reach a first- asylum country". Although he fully understood the short-term impact this would have on first asylum countries, he believed the longer-term effect would prove favourable to Hong Kong. America did not want to leave Hong Kong in the lurch; and would do what she could within her own political constraints.

Security Branch

Government Secretariat

Hong Kong

File: CR 11/4821/79

Distribution :

S for S

DS (S)

PA

DPA

D of I (Mr Chadderton)

C of CS (Mr Hydes)

CP (Mr Worrall)

SHA (Mr Masefield)

CEO (S) R

FCO

R.D. Clift, Esq. HKGD

K.F.X.Burns, Esq. SEAD

Chanceries :

Washington

UKMIS Geneva

CONFIDENTIAL

Singapore

Kuala Lumpur

Jakarta

Manila

Bangkok

Hanoi