GR 200
EN CLAIP
FM SAIGON 286410Z
UNCLASSIFIED
RECEIVED
REGIST
N 52
217)
-9 AUG 1974
TOP COPY
AKK14/5
LABT REF.
187)
NEXT
74
TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 218 OF 8 AUGUST,/INFO TO ROUTINE HONG KONG, CANBERRA, THE HAGUE AND PARIS.
MY TELEGRAM NO 31 TO HONG KONG (NOT TO ALL):
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
REF.
1. LOCAL PRESS CARRIED ON 7 AUGUST TEXT OF A REPLY
BY THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION TO A TELEGRAM FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (NOT PRINTED) WHICH IS SAID TO HAVE ALLEGED THAT 14 OF THE 118 REPATRIATED
VIETNAMESE HAD DIED DURING THEIR STAY AT CON SON
ISLAND. THIS REPLY CONTAINS FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
**WE CAN STATE THAT NO CASE OF DEATH OR INJURY HAS
BEEN REPOPTED AMONG THOSE DETAINED PRIOR TO APPEARING
IN COURT AND WE CAN ALSO GIVE THE ASSURANCE THAT NONE
OF THEM HAS BEEN SENT TO THE FRONT LINE. YOUR
ORGANISATION'S INDIGNATION....MERELY UNDERLINES ONCE
AGAIN THE LACK OF IMPARTIALITY OF WHICH YOUR
ORGANISATION HAS GIVEN PROOF VIS-A-VIS THE
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM,,.** THE TELEGRAM ADDS THAT
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WOULD DO BETTER TO VERIFY
ITS FACTS MORE CLOSELY BEFORE SENDING TELEGRAMS
OF THIS SORT AND MIGHT ALSO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO
REALITIES SUCH AS THE FATE OF THE 100,000 VIETNAMESE
STILL HELD PRISONER BY THE AUTHORITIES OF NORTH
VIETNAM.
BUSHELL
FILES
HKLOD
SEAD
M & VD.
M & TO
LEGAL ADVISERS
DEFENCE D
GIPD
NEWS D
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
STR O WRIGHT