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ARZACW
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Minute to the PM
has issued.
ем
FROM:
CO Hum
DATE:
folos
CC:
Mr Gillmore
Private Secretary
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
113 MAY 1988
!
Disc
163
Hong Kong Department 13 May 1988
PS/Lord Glenarthur
PS/Mr Eggar
3
Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
Mr McLaren
SEAD
UND
HUD 243/8
A
1.
B
The Secretary of State has agreed that he should send a minute
to the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary to inform them of the
current crisis; to foreshadow the need for urgent consultations on a
possible change of policy; and to clear a line for him to take while
in Hong Kong.
2.
I submit a draft. SEAD and UND concur.
3. As background I resubmit my submission of 12 May. I also
C,D,E attach copies of Hong Kong telnos 1823-1825 (just received), which
contain:
(a) a draft paper for ExCo on the review of the present policy
(b) a draft timetable for implementation of "Operation
Watchman".
4. On (a) we have sent Hong Kong preliminary comments suggesting
that the draft paper should bring out rather more clearly that Ministers have been consulted and have agreed that work on a possible change of policy should continue, but also that Ministers
will need to take a collective view after the Secretary of State's
return from Hong Kong. The draft paper considers but rejects the
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