GPS 280
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY N. 50
14 MAY 1975
し
HOR HOL
REF
68)
FM CANBERRA 140625Z
PKK 18/25
NEX
REF.
86
95
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNG 429 OF 14 MAY INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG INFO
ROUTINE WELLINGTON WASHINGTON OTTAWA SINGAPORE AND SAVING TO
STOCKHOLM COPENHAGEN PEKING MANILA.
YOUR TELNO 382: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY TOOK ACTION THIS MORNING WITH FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY, DFA, IN CHARGE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEE QUESTIONS. ROGERS TOOK NOTE, SAID POLICY ON REFUGEES WAS ENTIRELY IN HANDS OF MR WHITLAM, AND UNDERTOOK TO GIVE US A RESPONSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
FOR THIS PURPOSE, HE ASKED:
(A) WHETHER THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF UNHCR IN HONG KONG AND IF
SO WHAT ROLE HE IS PLAYING:
(B) WHETHER BRITAIN WAS AMONG THE 6 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AUSTRALIA, WHO HAVE RECEIVED AN APPEAL FROM UNHCR: AND
(C) WHETHER WE COULD PROVIDE ANY FIGURES ON NUMBERS OF VIETNAMESE
LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED BY BRITAIN.
2. BARDER UNDERTOOK TO SEEK REPLIES TO (A) AND (B) URGENTLY. ON (C),
BARDER SPOKE ON LINES OF PARA 1(D) OF YOUR TELNO 1960 TO WASHINGTON,
IF THERE IS ANY FURTHER INFORMATION WHICH WE COULD PASS TO DFA
ABOUT NUMBERS WE ARE LIKELY TO TAKE FROM HONG KONG, GRATEFUL FOR MATERIAL ON THIS AND ON (A) AND (B).
3. ROGERS SAID AUSTRALIANS WERE NOT AT PRESENT RELEASING PUBLICLY
OR EVEN TO FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTS INFORMATION ABOUT NUMBERS OF
REFUGEES SEEKING ENTRY TO AUSTRALIA, BEING PROCESSED, OR LIKELY TO QUALIFY. CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE REMAINED AS IN STATEMENT OF 22 APRIL HOF (SEE PARA 2 OF HEWITT'S LETTER OF 1 MAY TO CLARK, SWPD, NOT TO ALL): THESE MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT RELAXED, BUT NO DECISION HAD YET BEEN TAKEN.
AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS IN GUAM PROCESSING APPLICANTS TO COME TO
AUSTRALIA WERE WORKING ON 22 APRIL CRITERIA. MR WHITLAM WAS ANXIOUS
TO WORK THROUGH AND WITH UNHCR. SPEAKING PERSONALLY, ROGERS SAID
MR WHITLAM'S ATTITUDE HAD BEEN MUCH AFFECTED BY LEE KUAN YEW'S
CONFIDENTIAL
/PUBLIC