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CONFIDENTIAL
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FROM THE OPEN CAMPS.
NOW CONSIDERING THIS.
WE SEE FROM YOUR TELNO 2783 THAT YOU ARE
ALTHOUGH WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE
POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES OF THIS ISSUE IN HONG KONG, YOU SHOULD
BEAR IN MIND THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO PRESS THE HOME OFFICE STO TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL NUMBERS IN EXCESS OF THE 500 IF WE CANNOT
DEMONSTRATE THAT HONG KONG IS ALSO NOW WILLING TO ABSORB SOME.
IF WE WERE ABLE TO SAY THAT YOU WOULD NOW ABSORB A SPECIFIC
NUMBER OUR POSITION WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY STRENGTHENED, NOT ONLY
WITH THE HOME OFFICE BUT ALSO WITH OTHER COUNTRIES. VON ARNIM
MADE THIS SAME POINT TO US FORCEFULLY.
5.
PARA 5(A): THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. WE SHALL
INSTRUCT POSTS TO MAKE APPROACHES TO THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS ON AN
AD HOC BASIS WHENEVER IT SEEMS USEFUL. FOR THE MOST PART WE
WOULD ENVISAGE SUCH APPROACHES AFTER THE JANUARY RESETTLEMENT
MEETING.
PARA 5(B): THIS IS STRICTLY A MATTER FOR THE HOME OFFICE
(WITH WHOM HKGO LONDON ARE NOW IN CONTACT): IT WOULD NOT BE
HELPFUL FOR US TO GET INVOLVED, SINCE WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO
OPERATE IN THIS AREA.
PARA 5(C): IT IS FAR TOO EARLY FOR A FURTHER APPROACH TO
THE HOME OFFICE. THE OVERALL PICTURE (INCLUDING HONG KONG'S
POSITION ON LOCAL RESETTLEMENT) WILL NEED TO BE MUCH CLEARER.
MOREOVER SUCH AN APPROACH SHOULD NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL A MAJOR
PART OF THE FAMILY REUNION CASES HAVE BEEN RESETTLED.
6.
R.
PARA 6(A): WE AGREE (PARA 5 OF UKMIS GENEVA TUR REFERS).
PARA 6(B): IN VIEW OF PARAS 3 AND 5 OF UKMIS GENEVA'S
TUR WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO ASK THEM TO UNDERTAKE FURTHER ACTION OF
THIS KIND FOR THE TIME BEING, EXCEPT IN SPECIFIC INSTANCES WHERE WE CONCLUDE THAT INTERVENTION WITH INDIVIDUAL MISSIONS IN GENEVA
WOULD BE HELPFUL.
7.
WE SHALL CONSIDER WHAT FURTHER ACTION TO TAKE WITH
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES (IN PARTICULAR THE APPROACHES RECOMMENDED IN
PARAS 1-5 OF YOUR TELNO 2773) IN THE LIGHT OF UKMIS GENEVA 'S MEETING WITH FELDMANN ON 16 DECEMBER, AND THE UNHCR RESETTLEMENT
MEETING IN JANUARY.
HOWE
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
COPIES TO:
HKGO LONDON
UND
PS/MR RENTON
SIR W HARDING
DR WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL
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