TNAG-1275-FCO40-1625-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 154

CONFIDENTIAL

MET THE COMMISSAIRE DE LA REPUBLIQUE AND MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF,

THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSEIL GENERAL, ONE LEADING BUSINESSMAN,

A GEOLOGIST, A DEPARTMENTAL DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND A LOCAL

REPRESENTATIVE OF A CANADIAN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT ORGANISATION.

THE COMMISSAIRE WAS APPARENTLY NONCOMMITTAL AND ADVISED THAT

RESETTLEMENT WOULD BE A POLITICAL ISSUE. STUMPF CLAIMED THAT

THE POLITICIANS AND OTHER CONTACTS WERE ENTHUSIASTIC PROVIDED

FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO HELP GIVE REFUGEES A PROPER START.

STUMPF GAINED THE IMPRESSION THAT ResentmenT BY THE LOCAL

POPULATION MIGHT BE OVERCOME IF THE PROPOSAL WERE PROPERLY FUNDED,

PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THE PROSPECT OF MORE HARD-WORKING MANPOWER

WAS ATTRACTIVE TO LOCAL BUSINESSMEN.

5. ON HIS RETURN TO HONG KONG STUMPF WENT VERY PUBLIC AND

ENCOURAGED SPECULATION THAT 5,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES MIGHT GO

TO FRENCH GUIANA WITHIN 6 MONTHS. THESE CLAIMS TOOK THE FRENCH

AUTHORITIES IN PARIS BY SURPRISE. THE FRENCH CONSULATE-GENERAL

IN HONG KONG RECEIVED A TELEGRAM FROM PARIS SAYING THAT STUMPF

HAD BEEN TOLD OF THEIR COMPLETE OPPOSITION TO HIS SCHEME. THE

EMBASSY IN PARIS APPROACHED THE DOM-TOMS ON 16 FEBRUARY (SEE 24)-PARIS TELNO 136) IN AN ATTEMPT TO:

(I)

ESTABLISH WHAT HAD BEEN SAID TO STUMPF IN CAYENNE:

(II) ESTABLISH HOW MATTERS CURRENTLY STOOD:

(III) ESTABLISH WHETHER THE IRRITATION THE FRENCH FELT AT

STUMPF'S EXTRAVAGANT PUBLIC CLAIMS IN HONG KONG HAD

TORPEDOED ANY CHANCE OF SUCCESS THAT THE PROPOSAL HAD.

6. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, WHILE IT WILL OF COURSE BE VALUABLE

TO HAVE AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF ATTITUDES IN THE FRENCH TERRITORY

(NOT LEAST FOR HONG KONG IN HANDLING STUMPF IN THE FUTURE), WE

SHOULD NOT WISH TO PRESS TOO HARD FOR THE MOMENT THE IDEA OF

RESETTLEMENT IN FRENCH GUIANA. THE CHANCES ARE VERY SLIM, AND WE

SHOULD NOT WANT TO RISK ADDING TO THE IRRITATION WHICH STUMPF'S

HANDLING OF THE MATTER HAS ALREADY CAUSED. YOU WILL SEE FROM

HONG KONG TELNO 259 OF 22 FEBRUARY THAT HONG KONG FEEL TOO THERE

WOULD BE LITTLE POINT IN YOUR TAKING SOUNDINGS VERY FAR.

PYM

BOAT PEOPLE

LIMITED

SEAD WIAD

HK & GD WED

UND

FED

PUSD

NEWS D MAED

PS

PS/LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE

MR WRIGHT

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD MR ADAMS MR URE

COPIES TO:

MISS WILMSHURST LEGAL ADVISER HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL