CONFIDENTIAL
032516
MDLIAN 8570
THOSE SCREENED OUT. WE DETECTED SIGNS THAT IN WASHINGTON THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WERE BECOMING MORE AWARE BOTH OF THE NEED TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE WAY FORWARD AND OF THE ILLOGICALITY OF THE AMERICAN POSITION. THE BLOCK WAS NOW IN THE WHITE HOUSE. EVANS AGREED BUT SAID THAT EVEN THERE THE AUSTRALIANS SAW SIGNS THAT E.G. JACKSON WAS BECOMING MORE FLEXIBLE IN HIS APPROACH.
5. I THANKED EVANS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCE ON RESETTLING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, ON WHICH THEY WERE WELL AHEAD OF THE PROGRAMME TO WHICH THEY WERE COMMITTED UNDER THE CPA. EVANS SAID THAT WITH HINDSIGHT THE NEW PROBLEM OF CAMBODIAN ARRIVALS IN AUSTRALIA HAD BEEN INEVITABLE AS THE CAMBODIAN ISSUE DRAGGED ON WITHOUT SETTLEMENT. THE AUSTRALIANS AIMED TO SCREEN ARRIVALS AND GET IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SENDING BACK THOSE WHOM THEY DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES.
AIR SERVICES
6. I EXPLAINED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE A SEPARATE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AUSTRALIA BOTH AS PART OF OUR SEPARATION PROGRAMME AND IN ORDER TO INCREASE FREQUENCIES. EVANS WAS SYMPATHETIC BUT SAID THIS WAS NO LONGER PART OF HIS MAIN-LINE RESPONSIBILITIES. FLEXIBILITY WOULD BE NEEDED ON BOTH SIDES AND THE AUSTRALIANS WOULD LOOK FOR SOME GAIN IN TERMS OF THROUGH-RUNNING.
COMMENT
7. A USEFUL AND CHEERFUL MEETING. THE AUSTRALIANS (RATHER LIKE THE CANADIANS) ARE CLEARLY KEEN TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP HONG KONG WITHOUT HAVING REACHED FIRM CONCLUSIONS ON HOW SPECIFICALLY TO DO So.
WILSON
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
110
ΜΑΙΝ
109
LIMITED
HKD
SPD
FED
SEAD
AMD
PUSD
PAGE
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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