TNAG-1915-FCO40-2719-Hong-Kong-resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-in-third-count-1989 — Page 71

ALRABC

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 2+3/28

Scentarz & State Bleys

From: A R Paul

Date:

CC:

Hong Kong Department

22 May 1989

PS/Lord Glenarthur

PS/Mr Eggar

Mr McLaren

Mr Colvin, SEAD

Mr Brenton, UND

Mr Burns, News Dept

12

Mr Gilmore

amore

Private Secretary

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES : RESETTLEMENT

A 1.

243/14 28

Thank you for your minute of 19 May. I submit a revised draft

taking account the four points which the Secretary of State asked to

be included.

2.

Agreement to the idea of an Overspill Centre will of course

depend primarily on the readiness of any single country to agree

to the siting of such a Centre on its territory and on the

availability of international funds to provide the necessary

incentive. A further consideration is that it might be tactically

inadvisable within Whitehall to link the Overspill Centre too

closely and explicitly to a new UK resettlement offer, lest it be

suggested that our readiness to take more should be made conditional

on agreement to the establishment of such a Centre.

3.

With these considerations in mind, I have made positive

reference to the idea of an Overspill Centre as a means of providing

immediate relief to Hong Kong. But have not gone so far as to

suggest that our contribution to the resettlement programme might be

a key factor in securing agreement to this.

I agree.

I have amended para 7 to bring it up to dave. People won wanded from the ferries over the work-end because of the unmineuse of byphoon Brenda. This has made the situation in the

on shore camps even

wase.

CONFIDENTIAL

22/5

ARPan

C

A R Paul