4. HE THOUGHT THAT ALL (ALL) OF THE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WERE ETHNIC CHINESE AND, THEREFORE, ARGUED THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESETTLED IN HONG KONG. HE WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT ONLY 2000 WERE ETHNIC CHINESE. OF THE REMAINING 8000, 5000 WERE SOUTH VIETNAMESE AND 3000 NORTH VIETNAMESE. I GAVE HIM A TABLE SHOWING THE ETHNIC BREAKDOWN OF REFUGEES BY CENTRE.
5. I EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR ANY SOLUTION TO AVOID THE PULL FACTOR. I EXPLAINED THAT WE WANTED A SLOW, STEADY REGULAR OFFTAKE. HE ASKED BLUNTLY WHAT I WANTED. I SAID THAT THE US OFFTAKE FROM HONG KONG WAS 1500 LAST YEAR AND I THOUGHT THAT THIS COULD BE INCREASED TO 2500 WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING THE OVERALL US INTAKE. I EXPLAINED THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE THAI REPATRIATION SHCEME, I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE US WOULD BE REDUCING ITS OFFTAKE FROM THAILAND. I SAID THAT HALF OF ONE MONTH'S OFFTAKE FROM THAILAND WOULD ENABLE THE US TO GIVE HONG KONG THE EXTRA 1000 PLACES FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
6. CLINE WAS VERY SYMPATHETIC AND AGREED TO SEE WHAT HE COULD DO. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD SPEAK TO JIM PURCELL, BUT THOUGHT THAT HONG KONG DESERVED SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.
7.
HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THE REACTION FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND I BRIEFED HIM ABOUT THE VARIOUS INDICATIONS I HAD HAD FROM OTHERS. HE THOUGHT THAT THE AUSTRATIAN DECISION TO INCREASE FROM 400 TO 600 TO 800 WAS VERY HELPFUL. HE SAID THAT PURCELL
WAS QUOTE PLAYING WITH THE FIGURES UNQUOTE AND HE WOULD SPEAK TO HIM TO SEE IF HONG KONG COULD RECIEVE MORE HELP.
8.
CLINE IS IMPORTANT AND WE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH HIM. THE INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM SANDRA LEE (PARA 1 ABOVE) WILL HELP IDENTIFY VISITING POLITICIANS.
JJJ
(END CM)
5
CONFIDENTIAL
28404 HKGOVT G. SENT VIA ITT
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