GRS 450
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG 27040OZ
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No, 50
27 AUG 1975
NKK18/25
TOP COPY
210E27
TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NO 21 QF 17 AUGUST INFO
IMMIDIATE F C O, HANOI, PARIS, PRIORITY UKMIS NEW YORK, ROUTINE PEKING AND VIENTIANE (PLEASE PASS CONFIRMATION COPY SAVING HANOI).
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
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AN AIR LAO CARAVELLE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG FROM SAIGON LAST GHT CARRYING TWO UNHCR OFFICIALS (CASELLA AND VON GUNTEN) BUT NO STRANDED FOREIGNERS FROM VIETNAM. AIRCRAFT IS DUE TO GO BACK TO SAIGON CARRYING MEDICAL SUPPLIES TODAY AND MAY THEN RETURN TO HONG KONG TONIGHT IN ORDER TO REPEAT THE SAME JOURNEY ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, 28 AND 29 AUGUST, ON 30 AUGUST IT IS DUE TO FLY FROM HONG KONG TO SAIGON WITH THE LAST OF THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND THEN ON TO VIENTIANE.
2. WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE FLIGHTS FIRSTLY TO SEND BACK TO SAIGON ANY OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HERE WHO WISH TO RETURN, AND SECONDLY TO ENABLE HONG KONG BELONGERS STRANDED IN SAIGON TO RETURN HERE. WE HAVE SO FAR FOUND 12 REFUGEES IN THE CAMPS HERE WHO HAVE SIGNED WITNESSED STATEMENTS THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO RETURN TO SAIGON ON THESE FLIGHTS, BUT UNHCR AND AIR FRANCE, WHO ARE HANDLING THE FLIGHTS FOR AIR LAO, HAVE REFUSED TO ACCEPT THESE PEOPLE ON TODAY'S FLIGHT TO
SAIGON.
3. IT IS CLEAR THAT IF WE LET VIETNAMESE TAKE ALL THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES WHICH THEY NEED BY THESE FLIGHTS WITHOUT INSISTING ON REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES IN EITHER DIRECTION, THEY WILL HAVE NO FURTHER REASON TO PERMIT ANY FLIGHTS TO COME TO HONG KONG AND ARE LIKELY IN ANY CASE TO BE PREJUDICED AGAINST DOING SO BECAUSE OF OUR INABILITY TO SATISFY THEM ON THE PAN AM CASE, THIS IS THEREFORE OUR LAST CHANCE OF PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE TO TAKE BACK REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG AND TO ALLOW HONG KONG BELONGERS TO RETURN HERE. MEANWHILE THE MEDIA HERE
CONFIDENΤΙΑΣ,
/HAVE HIGHLIGHTED