PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

GR 270

FA WASHINGTON 232321Z CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

MECEIVED IN

EGISTRY, No. 50

27 MAY 1975

TO PRIORITY FCO TELEGRAM NO 1825 OF 123 MAY 1975 INFO PRIORITY - HONG KONG ROUTINE OTTAWA STOCKHOLM COPENHAGEN PEING MANILA SINGAPORE (FOR SAIGON) CANBERRA WELLINGTON

MY TEL NO 1711: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY DURING A CALL TODAY ON

136

LAGT REF.

n)

RCAI

EF.

MILLER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, TO REINFORCE THE REPRESENTATIONS MADE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON 14 MAY (PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE). MILLER,

WITH WHOM WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OF

DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM, TOOK CAREFUL NOTE AND SAID HE APPRECIATED THE PROBLEMS WHICH THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES MUST BE CREATING FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. WE SAID WE HOPED THE US

AUTHORITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE IN AS MANY VIETNAMESE AS

POSSIBLE FALLING OUTSIDE THE CATEGORIES DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. MILLER SAID THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM. DID NOT LIE ONLY WITH HIS BUREAU WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT BUT WE COULD BE ASSURED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONTINUE TO BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE.

2. WE SPOKE SUBSEQUENTLY TO ANTIPPAS WHO SAID THAT WE SHOULD QUOTE NOT BE DISCOURAGED UNQUOTE. THE STATE DEPARTMENT WAS CONSCIOUS

OF OUR DIFFICULTIES AND WOULD DO THEIR BEST. ANTIPPAS SAID THAT THE TASK FORCE WAS ALREADY MAKING FASTER PROGRESS THAN HE WOULD

HAVE EXPECTED SOME DAYS AGO.

3. WE SHALL CHECK AGAIN WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT NEXT WEEK.

RAMSBOTHAM

FILE S HKIOD (4)

N AM D

SEAD

SWPD

MVD

WED

DEFENCE DEPT

NEWS DEPT

UND

CONS DEPT

CONS EM UNIT

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR ENNALS PS/MISS LESTOR PS/MR HATTERSLEY PS/PUS

MR WILFORD

MR MALE

MR EDMONDS

SIR D WATSON

MR LARMOUR

RESEARCH DEPT (AM SECT).

(FE SECT)

MR HAWLEY

COPIES TO:

PA

B

1576

MR BLANKS DS11 MOD KR FITZGERALD. HOME MR R. MACDOWALL) OFFICE MR WATTS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OFFICE, HOME OFFICE

MR KIDD, HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE

MAJOR B.G. JOHNSON

DS 6 MOD

[COPIES SENT TO NO 10

DOWNING ST

CONFIDENTIAL

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