TNAG-1180-FCO40-1482-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 84

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ILLEGAL DEPARTURE WOULD NOT BE DISPROPORTIONATE TO THE NATURE OF THE OFFENCE. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALONE HAS NO (NO) INFLUENCE OVER THE VIETNAMESE. BUT WOULD IT NOT BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER A CONCERTED APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE, INVOLVING ASEAN AND OTHERS (E.G. FRANCE) WHO MAY HAVE SOME INFLUENCE? IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO SAY LOCALLY THAT SUCH AN APPROACH WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION

SOME PUBLIC REFERENCE TO REPATRIATION MIGHT ALSO HELP SOBER UP THE TROUBLEMAKERS AND AVERT FURTHER DISTRUBANCES.

5. AS SENIOR UNOFFICIALS WILL CERTAINLY PRESS US HARD OVER REPATRIATION (ESPECIALLY WITH THE SUCCESSFUL DETERRENT EFFECT OF SUCH A POLICY WHEN APPLIED TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA IN MIND) I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF I COULD HAVE YOUR REACTION TO, OR AT LEAST A PRELIMINARY VIEW, ON THE PROPOSALS IN PARAGRAPH 4 BEFORE

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETS ON 11TH MAY.

HADDON-CAVE

LIMITED HK r GD FED SEAD

UND

NEWS.D

PS

PS/LORD BELSTEAD

PS/MIL RIFKIND

PS/PUS

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

N

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