IMMEDIATE GPS 250
CYPHER/CAT A & BY BAG
FM FCO 2018402
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
2 1 JUL1976
1xK243/548//
121
TO IMMEDIATE UKMISSION GENEVA TELNO 146 OF 20 JULY AND TO PRIORITY TOKYO HONG KONG WASHINGTON
INFO ROUTINE RANGOON PEKING KUALA LUMPUR
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INFO SAVING HANOI
TOKYO TEL NO 637
REF.
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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. YOU WILL NOTE FROM PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE THAT THE JAPANESE ALLOWED 11 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ABOARD A LIBERIAN VESSEL TO LAND ON 16 JULY IN RETURN FOR FULL ASSURANCES FROM THE UNHCR THAT THEY WOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND EVENTUAL RESETTLEMENT.
2. DESPITE THE UNDERSTANDABLE JAPANESE RELUCTANCE TO ASSUME WHAT THEY REGARD AS A BURMESE RESPONSIBILITY, IT APPEARS THAT THEY MIGHT BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE IF (A) THE BURMESE WERE EVIDENTLY NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM: AND (B) THE UNHCR WERE PREPARED TO GIVE THE JAPANESE THE SAME ASSURANCES AS IN THE CASE OF THE REFUGEES ABOARD THE LIBERIAN VESSEL.WHILE WE HAVE NOTED THE JAPANESE VIEW AS TO NUMBERS ( PARAGRAPH 4 OF TOKYO'S TELEGRAM) THEIR ATTITUDE MIGHT, WE SUPPOSE, BE MORE FORTHCOMING IF THEY WERE TO KNOW THAT THE AMERICANS MAY TAKE UP TO 39 OF THE QUOTE
AVA UNQUOTE REFUGEES.
3. THE JAPANESE POSITION MAY THEREFORE BY LESS DISCOURAGING THAN THAT SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TEL NO 212. SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER ADVICE FROM TOKYO, PLEASE EXPLAIN TO THE UNHCR THE POSITION NOW REACHED AS REGARDS THE POSSIBILITY OF HELP FROM THE BURMESE (MY TEL NO 68 TO RANGOON) AND, INVITE THEN TO RE-EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF JAPANESE HELP. YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PASS ON TO THE UNHCR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
(63) IN PARAGRAPHS 1 AND 4 OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 721.
CROSLAND
FILES "KD (4)
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UND
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NEWS D
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PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS MR CORTAZZI
MR LARMOUR
MR RUSHFORD(LEGAL ADVISER)
CONFIDENTIAL
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MR KIDD HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE MR MCDOWELL HOME OFFICE LUNAR
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