CONFIDENTIAL
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RICHITY
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RECRVED IN REGISTRY Ns.51
LAST
REF.
GRPS 380
੧)
JUN 1974
FM SAIGON 210620Z
NE REF.
(59) (6899
CONFIDENTIAL
NKKIS
TO PRIORITY FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 167 OF 21 JUNE 1974
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION PRIORITY TO HONG KONG.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 79: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN MY TELEGRAM NO 17 TO HONG KONG.
IN ADDITION TO MY CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE I MADE
PLAIN OUR INTEREST IN THE FATE OF THESE PEOPLE TO THE MINISTER
OF JUSTICE AND TO THE CHIEF OF PROTOCOL AT THE PALACE
MY OBJECT IN SPEAKING TO THE LATTER WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE
PRESIDENT WAS REMINDED OF OUR CONCERN AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT
THIS WAS DONE.
2.
MEANWHILE, THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IS REPORTED AS SAYING
THAT INTERROGATION IS NOW IN PROCESS TO DISCOVER HOW THE ESCAPE
WAS ORGANISED. 1 AM SURE THAT THIS IS THE POINT THAT
INTERESTS THE AUTHORITIES MOST. HOWEVER, SPOKESMAN AL SO APPARENTLY SAID THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE CONCERNED ARE DRAFT DODGERS, INSUBORDINATE ELEMENTS OR DESERTERS, 1 THEREFORE THIS MORNING CALLED ON HOAN AT THE MFA ( WHO IS EFFECTIVELY IN CHARGE IN BAC'S ABSENCE IN VENEZUELA) TO REMIND HIM OF THE
ASSURANCES GIVEN BY THE VIETNAMESE CONSUL-GENERAL IN HONG KONG (HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 648) AND TO DRAW HIS ATTENTION TO THE SPOKESMAN'S REMARKS. HOAN SAID THAT HE HAD NO
INFORMATION TO CONFIRM WHETHER DESERTERS WERE INVOLVED BUT HE
WOULD CHECK. HE ADDED THAT EVEN IF THERE WERE SOME DESERTERS, THE PENALTY WOULD NOT BE SEVERE. DESERTION WAS UNFORTUNATELY A COMMONPLACE FACT OF LIFE IN VIETNAM AND THE AUTHORITIES ADOTPED A LENIENT ATTITUDE, NORMALLY NO MORE
THAN A FEW MONTHS CORRECTIVE PUNISHMENT.
CONFIDENTIAL
/3. I COMMENTED
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