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SUCH DETERRENT MEASURES WOULD NO LONGER BE NECESSARY. THE SOONER
THIS HAPPENS THE BETTER PLEASED HMG AND HONG KONG WILL BE.
HOWEVER THE FACTORS WHICH DETERMINE THE RATE OF DEPARTURES ARE
BEYOND THE CONTROL OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT OR THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT, AND DEPEND ON DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN VIETNAM. THIS IS
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. AS LONG AS THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY THE HANOI GOVERNMENT MAKE LIFE WITHIN
VIETNAM INTOLERABLE FOR LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, THEY WILL
CONTINUE TO BE ATTRACTED BY THE PROSPECT OF LIFE IN THE WEST.
WITHOUT SOME POLICY OF DETERRENCE, HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO BE
VIEWED AS A CONVENIENT GATEWAY TO THE WEST: OR, IF THE WEST WILL
NOT TAKE THEM, AS A RESETTLEMENT GOAL IN ITSELF ENDS
HOWE
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION:
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
PS/MR LUCE
DR WILSON
COPIES TO:-
HKGO LONDON
4
RESTRICTED
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