CONFIDENTIAL
GPS 450
PRIORITY
RECEIVED
REGISTRY N 520
CYPHER CAT A
FM CANBERRA 060645Z
- 8 AUG 1974
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TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 727 OF 08 AUGUST INFO PRIORITY THE HAGUE PARIS INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG AND SAIGON.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 102 TO THE HAGUE: REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE FROM
HONG KONG.
AND DEPARTMENTS:
1. HEAD OF RELEVANT BRANCH IN SOUTH ASIA DIVISION OF DFA CONFIRMS THAT AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS MADE NO (REPEAT NO ) DECISION TO CONSIDER GRANTING ASYLUM TO ANY OF REPATRIATED VIETNAMESE, DFA KNOWS OF NO MINISTERIAL MEETING TO CONSIDER BRINGING REFUGEES TO AUSTRALIA, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE SEVERAL MINISTERS DFA WAS NEVER ASKED BY ANY AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS OR BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO INTERVENE WITH HONG KONG OR SOUTH VIETNAM GOV→ ERNMENTS OR TO SAY THAT AUSTRALIA WOULD OFFER ASYLUM: DFA FELT IT HAD NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE IN DECISIONS CONCERNING PRIMARILY HONG KONG AND SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENTS, OR TO RAISE FALSE HOPES THAT REFUGEES MIGHT BE ADMITTED TO AUSTRALIA FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ADVANCE OF ANY GOVERNMENT CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER. 2. PARA 4 OF YTUR: GUARDIAN STORY IS UNTRUE. DR CAIRNS HAS NOT RAISED QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT, ONLY PARLIAMENTARY REFERENCES WERE IN QUESTION BY A LIBERAL SENATOR ON 30 JULY ABOUT LEAK OF CONFIDENTIAL TELEGRAM FROM AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY SAIGON (SAIGON TELEGRAM NO 208, NOT TO ALL) TO WHICH FOREIGN MINISTER REPLIED THAT HE HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE OF MATTER AND WOULD REPLY TO QUESTIONER LATER, HOWEVER, DFA SAY THAT DR CAIRNS HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WITH REQUEST THAT HE ARRANGE FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO FIND CUT TRUTH OR OTHERWISE OF PRESS REPORT FROM WORLD CABLE SERVICE LONDON WHICH APPEARED ON 3 AUGUST THAT 14 OF THE VIETNAMESE
HAVE DIED IN PRISON SINCE BEING RETURNED TO VIETNAM. DFA BELIEVE
STORY ORIGINATED IN HONG KONG STANDARD OF 28 JULY. DR CAIRNS HAS
ASKED AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO FIND OUT FACTS AND AUSTRALIAN
MISSIONS IN SAIGON AND HONG KONG ARE MAKING ENQUIRIES AND REPORTING.
DR CAIRNS'S REQUEST IS NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE BUT FURTHER STORY IN
TOMORROW'S NATION REVIEW IS EXPECTED.
3. DFA OFFICIALS SAY THEY SEE NO FOREIGN POLICY GROUNDS FOR FURTHER
ACTION BY AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT OF SENIOR MINISTERS MAY LEAD TO MINISTERIAL DECISION TO MAKE SOME OFFER OF
ASYLUM IN AUSTRALIA.
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