IMMEDIATE
GPS 18%
CYPHER CAT A
FM CANBERRA 190500z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 10
20 MAY 1975
112
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 18/23
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TO IMMEDIATE FCC TEL NO 444 OF 19 MAY.
MIPT: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.
1. AFTER PASSING MR WHITLAM'S QUESTIONS (MIPT), ROGERS GAVE BARDER A STRONG HINT, ON PERSONAL BASIS (WHICH PLEASE PROTECT), THAT BEST WAY OF MAKING EARLY PROGRESS WOULD BE A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO MR WHITLAM. ROGERS IMPLIED THAT NOTHING LESS WAS LIKELY TO PRODUCE POSITIVE ANSWER, ESPECIALLY IF UNHCR COULD NOT BE INVOLVED. HE ASKED SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS HINT SHOULD NOT BE REPORTED ELSEWHERE, EVEN TO HONG KONG.
CONVER
2. WE HAVE STRONG IMPRESSION FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH ROGERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS THAT MR WHITLAM'S ATTITUDE TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IS MUCH MORE CAUTIOUS THAN THAT OF OFFICIALS, PUBLIC OPINION OR HIS OWN PARTY, ROGERS'S SUGGESTION THEREFORE SEEMS TO BE SOUND, IN ANY EVENT, IF AUSTRALIANS MAINTAIN PRESENT CRITERIA (PARA 3(C) OF MY TEL NO 439) NUMBER OF REFUGEES ADMITTED SEEMS LIKELY TO BE SMALL
JAMES
FILES HK IOD
N AM D
COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST/
PS/MR HATTERSLEY
PS/PUS
SEAD
MR WILFORD
SWPD
MR MALE
MVD
MR EDMONDS
WED
SIR D WATSON
DEFENCE D
MR LARMOUR
NEWS D UND
MR HAWLEY
CONSULAR D
COPIES TO
MR BLANKS DS11 MOD
MR FITZGERALD HOME OFFICE
MR R MACDOWALL HOME OFFICE
MR WATTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OFFIC
HOME OFFICE
MR KIDD HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
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น
1076
COMSULAR EM UNIT
PS
PS/LORD GOROWNY-ROBERTS
PS/MR ENNALS
PS/MISS LESTOR
CONFIDENTIAL