NOF
IMMEDIATE
GPS 365
CYPHER/CAT A
FM RANGOON 230500Z ·
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RES
25 JUL1976
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 118 OF 23 JULY
14KCK 249/5W)
INFO WASHINGTON HONG KONG TOKYO HANOI UKMIS GENEVA
MY TELNO 116: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED PRESS TODAY CARRY FRONT PAGE
REPORT ON ''AVA’’(IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH REPORT ON
MEETING BETWEEN MR PHAN HEIN, THE VIETNAMESE SPECIAL
ENVOY, AND U SEIN WIN, BURMESE PRIME MINISTER).
2. THE RELEVANT PART OF THIS REPORT STATES THAT THE
AVA WILL SAIL FROM HONG KONG TO YOKOHAMA WITHIN A FEW
DAYS WITH THE SHIPLOAD OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON BOARD.
NEXT
REF.
86
1(80)
бо
IT CONTINUES QUOTE IN YOKOYAMA THESE REFUGEES WILL BE TRANSFERRED O
ANOTHER BURMESE VESSEL IT WAS RELIABLY LEARNT TODAY
UNQUOTE.
3. I HOPE TO ELICIT EXPLANATION OF THIS FROM THE BURMESE I
WILL BE MEETING INFORMALLY THIS EVENING. THIS IS NOT AN
OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO MAKE FORMAL ENQUIRIES AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY
SINCE INTERVIEWS THERE ARE TIGHTLY CONTROLLED
AND ANY DISCLOSURES ON THE BURMESE SIDE REQUIRE PRIOR
APPROVAL OF HIGHER AUTHORITY. THESE INHIBITIONS HAVE
GREATLY INCREASED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CAPTAINS'
PLOTS (MY TELNO 115).
4. MEANTIME IF YOU OR HONG KONG HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF
WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THE BURMESE PRESS REPORT, IT
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO LEARN OF IT.
FCO PASS ALL INFO ADDRESSEES
O'BRIEN
/REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
FILES
HKD (3)
NEWS D
SEAD
PS
UND
FED
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
NAD
MR LARMOUR
CONFIDENTIAL