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6. THE P R G HAS ALREADY INDICATED TO ASEAN GOVERNMENTS THAT REFUGEES WOULD BE WELCOME TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. IF WE WERE TO SEEK AND OBTAIN FURTHER ASSURANCES FROM THE PRG BEFORE EITHER WE OR THE REFUGEES WERE ABLE TO JUDGE THEIR VALIDITY, THEY COULD NOT INFLUENCE THE REFUGEES BUT THEY MIGHT PROVIDE POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES WITH AN EXCUSE FOR SUSPENDING ACTION.
7. I SUGGEST THAT LATER ON, WHEN THINGS HAVE SETTLED DOWN IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND RELIABLE NEWS IS AVAILABLE AND PREFERABLY OUR OWN MISSION IS OPERATIVE, THERE COULD BE MERIT IN SUCH AN INITIATIVE, BUT THE PRESENT TIME SEEMS PREMATURE.
8. I EXPECT THAT BY THE FIRST WEEK IN JUNE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE A CLEARER PICTURE FROM HERE OF HOW MANY REFUGEES WE ARE LIKELY TO BE SADDLED WITH ONCE THE FIRST WAVE OF RESETTLEMENT HAS PASSED. PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE NUMBER LEFT WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL.
MACLEHOSE
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HKIOD (4)
.N AM D
SEAD
SWPD
MVD
WED
DEF D
NEWS D
UND
CONS D
CONS EM UNIT RES D (AM SECT) (FE SECT)
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET]
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/MR ENNALS PS/MISS LESTOR
PS/MR HATTERSLEY
PS/FUS
MR WILFORD
MR MALE
MR EDMONDS
SIR D WATSON MR LARMOUR MR HAWLEY
COPIES TO
MAJ B G JOHNSON
DS6 MOD
MR BLANKS
DS11 MOD
MR FITZGERALD
HOME OFFICE MR R MACDOWALL
HOME OFFICE
MR WATTS
COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OFFICE, HOME OFFICE MR KIDD
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
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