TNAG-2182-FCO40-3119-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 69

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Cambodia

4. Mr McClelland said Australia saw the P5's Framework Document as

the best hope for a settlement. The move by the P5 represented confirmation of the approach suggested by Australia earlier this year for UN involvement in a settlement. Australia was proud of its

initiative and would continue to work closely with the UK. Lord

Caithness said we now awaited the outcome of the Jakarta meeting.

The P5 had made its move; it was now up to the Cambodian factions to

make compromises.

Vietnamese Boat People

5.

He

Mr McClelland said Australia supported the UK position on

mandatory repatriation and wished to continue to work closely with

us. Australia had put pressure on the USA and Vietnam and hoped

that the flow of boat people returning to Vietnam would increase. The news that Malaysia was abandoning first asylum was not good.

pointed out that Australia now had around 200 Cambodian boat people

in Northern Australian and that, pro rata, Australia had taken more

boat people than any other country. Lord Caithness said we were

grateful for Australia's support.

British Arms Sales

6. Mr McClelland said this issue had been an irritant, but

Australia was pleased that there had been a response from the Prime

Minister to Australian concerns. He was sure that her letter to

Mr Hawke was being studied closely, as were the provisos in the

letter. Lord Caithness said he was glad that the Australians had

received a response from the Prime Minister.

Maralinga

7. Mr McClelland said he could not predict the Australian Cabinet's

response to the TAG Report, but Australia would probably be looking for some contribution to the costs of the clean-up process. Until Cabinet reached a decision he could not give an idea of the size of the contribution that would be sought. However, there had been a

report on breakfast TV which had indicated a cost of Aus $600

million. Mr Lindsay said the TAG report had listed a number of

options ranging from Aus $13 million to Aus $600 million. We

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