TNAG-1275-FCO40-1625-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 170

(D) WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS SHORT OF MANPOWER

AND THAT THE PROPOSAL COULD HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

(E) NEITHER THE HONG KONG NOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE ANY ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND THE DIFFICULTIES. BUT THE PRESENCE

OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN HONG KONG CAUSES SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS GENERALLY ARE POOR. IF THERE WAS ANY POSSIBILITY OF PURSUING SUCH A SCHEME TO THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF HONG KONG AND GUYANA, WE SHOULD LIKE TO

DO SO.

(F) IMPORTANT TO SET ASIDE THE UNFORTUNATE PUBLICITY GENERATED BY DR STUMPF AND DISCUSS THE IDEA SENSIBLY ON OFFICIAL CHANNELS.

7. YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER MAKING SUCH AN APPROACH AT A REASONABLY HIGH LEVEL IN ORDER TO HELP SORT OUT THE CONTRADICTIONS.

YOUDE

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SENT 16/09 0756Z RHS