1
CONFIDENTIAL,
WHO ARE MINORS WILL HAVE COUNSEL ASSIGNED. (WE HAVE
ALSO HEARD UNOFFICIALLY THAT 8 YOUNGER CHILDREN HAVE BEEN UNCONDITIONALLY DISCHARGED,) THIS DOES
NOT MEAN THAT THE REMAINDER MAY NOT ALSO HAVE
ARRANGED DEFENCE COUNSEL BY THE TIME OF THE TRIAL
BUT IN A CASE OF THIS SORTH THEY WOULD NOT
AUTOMATICALLY BE ASSIGNED COUNSEL. ACCORDING TO
NORMAL LEGAL PROCEDURES, EACH ASSUSED WILL BE REQUIRED AT THE OPENING OF THE CASE TO CONFIRM HIS IDENTIFICATION AND ADDRESS. SUBSTITUTION WOULD THUS BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND INVOLVE CONNI VANCE AMONG LAWYERS ON A LARGE SCALE, WHICH I CONSIDER HIGHLY IMPROBABLE.
3. ON THE DETAIL OF THE DEFENCE COUNSEL, I AM ADVISED THAT THE ONLY WAY OF OBTAINING NAMES AND ADDRESSES IS TO APPLY TO THE SAIGON COURT, OUR LEGAL ADVISER WOULD REQUIRE A LETTER FROM THE EMBASSY TO SUPPORT HIS APPLICATION. I SHOULD BE
RELUCTANT TO GIVE THIS WITHOUT YOUR INSTRUCTIONS. AS SEEN FROM HERE, HOWEVER, WHETHER SANGUINETTI MET ANY DEFENCE LAWYERS OR NOT, WHICH I REGRET I CANNOT CONFIRM, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME PREFERABLE TO TAKE THE LINE OF CHALLENGING THE VERACITY AND/OR SOURCES OF INFORMATION OF AMNESTY, AND AT THE SAME TIME REPEATING THE OFFICIAL ASSURANCES WE HAVE RECEIVED. IF IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE, ANY REPLY YOU SEND TO AMNESTY MIGHT USEFULLY BE HANDED ALSO BY ME TO THE MFA HERE
AS A REMINDER OF THESE ASSURANCES,
4.
ACCORDING TO THE POLICE PROSECUTOR A TRIAL MAY NOW BE EXPECTED TO START WITHIN THE NEXT 10 DAYS
AND WILL DEAL PURELY WITH THE 199 ON CHARGES OF
VIOLATING EMIGRATION LAWS. THOSE ACCUSED OF DESERTION WILL FACE A FURTHER TRIAL AT A LATER DATE.
BUSHELL
FILES
HKIOD
SEAD
MVD
FED
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/MR ENNALS
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FM FCO 131640Z