GRS 338
IMMEDIATH
CYPHER CAT A
LAST REF.
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.52
FM SAIGON 019900Z
- 2 JUL 1974
NE
REF.
83
(as FOR COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
MKCK 14
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 176 OF 1 JULY 1974 ! REPEATED FOR INFORMATION ROUTINE GOVERNOR HONG KONG,
YOUR TELEGRAMS NUMBERS 85 AND 86: REPATRIATED ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS.
1. WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THE LE MONDE ARTICLE, AND SINCE THEY HAVE NO CORRESPONDENT HERE WE CANNOT ASSESS ITS ORIGIN.
HOWEVER WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE AFP AND REUTER AGENCIES HERE. THE EVIDENCE IS THAT THE ARTICLE WAS PROBABLY BASED ON THE GOVT'S REGULAR DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE OF 25 JUNE, ON THAT DAY THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN (BUI BAO TRUC) DISTRIBUTED A COMMUNIQUE FROM THE NATIONAL POLICE ABOUT THIS CASE.
COMMUNI QUE DID NOT MENTION ASSURANCES, IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION FROM A JOURNALIST, TRUC REPORTEDLY REPLIED THAT THE GVN HAD NOT GIVEN ASSURANCES TO ANY GOVERNMENT BUT CONFIRMED THAT
THE 118 WILL BE TREATED FAIRLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW.
2.
THE
IT HAS NOT YET BEEN POSSIBLE TO CHECK TRUC'S ALLEGED COMMENT, IN PRACTICE, THE ASSURANCES GIVEN BY THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE CONSUL GENERAL IN HONG KONG, SUBSEQUENTLY REPEATED BY THE ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND CONFIRMED TO WILFORD BY THE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON, APPEAR TO AMOUNT TO AN ASSURANCE THAT THE REPATRIATED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WOULD BE DEALT WITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW, THAT EXECUTION AND TORTURE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW AND THAT DRAFT DODGERS WOULD NOT FACE A SERIOUS PENALTY. TRUC SEEMS TO HAVE ALLUDED TO THIS IN THE SECOND HALF OF HIS REPLY. WE ARE TRYING TO
OBTAIN A TRANSCRIPT OF WHAT HE SAID. IT WILL THEN BE POSSIBLE TO JUDGE WHETHER THERE WAS AN INACCURACY NEEDING
CORRECTION.
CONFIDENTIAL
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