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4.
Mr Moussalli says that he has been in touch similarly with other missions here and hopes that his present letter will inspire concerted discussion between interested governments and some positive proposals. What he is hoping for is another international conference on the question. In this, he has not yet engaged the High Commissioner's support or at least not avowedly. During a recent call on him, I tried a veiled question on the idea of a further conference and did not get even a lukewarm response. But I understood Mr Moussalli, when he called, to think Mr Hartling might now be readier to respond should we or other governments reply to his letter suggesting that the UNHCR take an initiative towards calling à political conference. Despite Mr Hartling's caution, I am sure UNHCR are desperate for ideas from western governments as to how this problem can at least be brought under control with a consequential lowering in the numbers of those leaving Vietnam and those in camps in countries of asylum. The Honolulu Conference may come up with something but the limited number of participants will not have improved its chances.
5.
During our conversations I have not given Mr Moussalli any encouragement to think that HMG will propose anything startlingly new nor that we would be prepared to run with any idea which might develop. But it occurred to me that you might anyway like to take this opportunity to consider whether a new political initiative may be timely within the foreseeable future, either on British initiative or that of the UNHCR. If the time is not ripe, I would hope particularly in the light of the enquiry among receiving country governments this summer that our reply to Mr Moussalli might be in terms of our watching the situation and proposing to revert to it later, eg in four months. (It is perhaps relevant that the UNHCR Executive Committee meets in October.) Even that would, I think, give UNHCR a little encouragement.
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Yours
ever,
cc: NCR Williams Esq, UND, FCO
Uma.
Dame Anne Warburton Ambassador
Permanent Representative
PS: Since this letter was drafted, we have seen Michael Pike's
most interesting despatch of 15 July, which puts the problem in terms with which I judge UNHCR would agree.
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