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116 REPORT IN YOU TELNO 24 TO HONG KONG OF GENERAL BINK'S PRESS
PORT CONFERENCE AND NOW THE AFP REPORT IN HONG KONG TEL.--UNDER
REFERENCE.
121
4. IF THIS REPORT IS CONFIRMED, YOU SHOULD IN THE APPROACH TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT SUGGESTED BY HONG KONG REMIND
THEM OF THE SPECIFIC ASSURANCES ON WHICH WE HAVE RELIED. YOU SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE EXPECT. THEM TO HONOUR THESE ASSURANCES AND ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICLY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
5. YOU SHOULD MKAKE CLEAR THAT MINISTERS ATTACH VERY GREAT
IMPORTANCE TO THESE ASSURANCES. THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD REALISE THAT IF ASSURANCES ARE GIVEN, BUT ARE SUBSEQUENTLY DENIED OR DISHONOURED, THE CONFIDENCE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WILL BE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED,
AND THE PRESSURE OF PUBLIC OPINION WILL MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT
TO HELP THEM IN FUTURE CASES OF THE SAME KIND.
6. WE HAVE SPOKEN ON THESE LINES TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN LONDON, IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT BAC IS PASSING THROUGH HERE ON A PRIVATE VISIT AND THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY WILL BE
MADE KNOWN TO HIM.
7. WE HAVE NOW SEEN YOUR TELS NOS 25, 26 AND 27 TO HONG KONG, 639 ALTHOUGH BUI BAO TRUC'S STATEMENT IS SOMETHING, IT IS LESS THAN
(131) BAC'S. STATEMENT TO MINISTERS AND STILL LESS THAN WAS PROMISED
BEFORE THE PARTY WAS RETURNED, YOU SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
WE STILL NEED PUBLIC CONFIRMATION THAT THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH
AUTHORITIES WERE GIVEN ASSURANCES ON THE LINE SET OUT IN CUR PQ, THAT. THE GVN STANDS BY THEM, AND THAT THIS WILL EMERGE
FROM THE RESULT OF THE TRIALS,
CALLAGHAN
FILES
HKIOD
SEAD
MVD
FED
PARTIAMENTARY UNIT
NEWS D
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/MR HATTERSLEY
SIR D WATSON
PS/PUS
MR WILFORD
MR MALE
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