CYPHER CAT A
ADVANCE COPY Sii D. WaterH Watson SEAD
Y
LASI
REF
1289
RESTRICTED
NEXT REF.
FM HANOI 248400Z
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 30 OF 24 SEPTEMBER
RFI PP TO FCO SAVING TO BANGKOK
HONG KONG TELNO 913 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (NOT TO BANGKOK)
Pricyo
26/1x
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
1. I HAD A LONG SESSION LAST NIGHT 23 SEPT WITH TIEN
2 5 SEP 1975
PICK 18/25
OF THE PRG DURING WHICH WE DISCUSSED INTER ALIA THE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AND HONG KONG BELONG-
ERS IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
2. TIEN PROMISED TO CONVEY TO HIS GOVT THE REQUEST THAT HONG KONG CHINESE PRESENTLY IN SAIGON SHOULD BE ASSISTED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG, 1 MENTIONED PARTICULARLY THE USE OF THE VIETNAMESE SHIP GOLDEN STAR** (SAO KANG). ACCORDING TO TIEN THERE WAS NO REASON WHY THESE REFUGEES SHOULD NOT RETURN TO HONG KONG AND ANY DELAYS WOULD BE A RESULT OF THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS. HOWEVER HE PROMISED TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE.
3. AS FAR AS THE VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG WERE CONCERNED HE WAS VERY MUCH LESS FORTHCOMING. HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY FLED FROM SAIGON INTHE FIRST INSTANCE AND INDICATED QUITE CLEARLY WITHP- OUT PUTTING IT INTO SO MANY WORDS THAT THE VIETNAESE WERE NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE FATE OF THESE PEOPLE. ON BEING PRESSED HE EVENTUALLY PROMISED TO CONVEY A MESSAGE TO HIS GOVT ASKING THEM TO ALLOW THEM BACK, HE ASKED THAT THE PRG IN SAIGON BE PROVIDED WITH AN UP TO DATE LIST OF NAMES AND PASSPORT DETAILS ( PLUS ANY OTHER RELEVANT DETAILS) OF THOSE WHO WANTED TO RETURN, BECAUSE OF APPARENT LONG DELAYS IN TRANSMISSION OF TELEGRAMS BETWEEN HERE AND SAIGON # I SUGGEST THAT ANY SUCH LIST BE SENT DIRECT FROM THE HONG KONG GOVT TO TIM MFA IN SAIGON WITH A COPY TO ME.
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