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3. APPARENTLY VIETNAMESE MADE EXCUSE THAT NO ONE HAD YET PRESSED THEM TO LET HONG KONG BELONGERS OUT. CASELLA THEREFORE SUGGESTED YOU. MIGHT APPROACH HANOI AUTHORITIES ON THIS SUBJECT. THIS SEEMS TO US A GOOD IDEA AND UNLESS F C O SEE OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD DO THIS, PREFERABLY BEFORE 3 SEPTEMBER, WHEN AIR VIETNAM PLANE IS LIKELY TO LEAVE. PACKET WE SENT YOU FOR CASELLA HAS LISTS
OF HONG KONG BELONGERS BELIEVED TO BE IN SAIGON, BUT WE CAN TELEGRAPH FURTHER DETAILS IF NECESSARY.
4. CASELLA DID NOT THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY POINT IN YOUR ASKING
AT THE SAME TIME WHETHER UNHCR FLIGHTS COULD TAKE REFUGEES BACK
TO VIETNAM FROM HONG KONG. IF YOU LINKED TWO SUBJECTS, VIETNAMESE
WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO AGREE TO EITHER. MEANWHILE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
PARA 3 OF FCO TELEGRAM NO. 653 TO US, WE ARE NOT PRESSING UNHCR
TO ACCEPT ANY REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG ON THEIR FLIGHTS TO SAIGON
THIS WEEK, BUT WE HAVE URGED THEM TO PRESS VIETNAMESE TO LET THESE
REFUGEES BACK. MACLEHOSE.
FILES
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SE ASTA D
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MVD
WED
DEF.D
[COPIES SENT TO NO.10 DOWNING STREET]
NEWS D
UND
CONS D
CONS EM UNIT
RES D(AM SECT
11 "(FE SECT
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR.ENNALS
PS/MR.ROWLANDS
PS/MR.HATTERSLEY
PS/PUS
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, HONGKONG GOVT.OFFICE.
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