TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 90

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 22010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 3281

OF 21165OZ DECEMBER 88

CONFIDENTIAL

MKD 243/12

156

107541

MDHOAN 1510

TOD COPY

AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, WELLINGTON AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA AND TO IMMEDIATE MANILA, SINGAPORE, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, PEKING AND TO IMMEDIATE EC POSTS

INFO PRIORITY HANOI

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:

1

FURTHER RESETTLEMENT

MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER HMG SHOULD MAKE A COMMITMENT TO RESETTLE A FURTHER NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG THEY ARE PREPARED IN PRINCIPLE TO GO AHEAD BUT WOULD WISH TO SEE CERTAIN CONDITIONS MET. THEY BELIEVE THAT OUR OFFER SHOULD BE CONDITIONAL ON OTHER COUNTRIES AGREE- ING TO TAKE SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FIRM EVIDENCE OF SUCH COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF OTHER COUNTRIES BEFORE WE CONFIRM

OUR DECISION.

2.

HMG'S INTENTIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MR EGGAR IN REPLY TO

THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS BETWEEN 0930 AND

1015Z ON 22 DECEMBER

3.

FOR HONG KONG. PLEASE TELL MISS LYDIA DUNN IN STRICT

CONFIDENCE THAT A STATEMENT WILL BE MADE IN PARLIAMENT ON 22 DECEMBER SETTING OUT THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A FURTHER PROGRAMME OF RESETTLEMENT MIGHT BE UNDERTAKEN. WE SHALL SEND YOU THE TEXT OF THE RELEVANT PASSAGE FROM MR EGGAR'S SPEECH BY FLASH TELEGRAM AS EARLY AS WE CAN ON THAT MORNING LONDON TIME, TO PASS TO MISS DUNN FOR HER OMELCO COLLEAGUES. YOU SHOULD TELL HER THAT SHE WILL SHORTLY RECEIVE REPLIES TO THE LETTERS WHICH SHE ADDRESSED TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND TO LORD GLENARTHUR. WE SHALL TELEGRAPH FURTHER ABOUT THE NECESSARY FOLLOW-UP ACTION.

4.

FOR WASHINGTON, OTTAWA AND CANBERRA. PLEASE PASS TO YOUR HOST GOVERNMENT THE TEXT OF MR EGGAR'S STATEMENT AS SOON AS IT

IS RECEIVED. YOU SHOULD SAY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE A FORMAL DEMARCHE VERY SOON AFTER

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CONFIDENTIAL

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