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GRS 190 PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
20 JUL1975
CYPHER CAT A
FM UKMIS GENEVA 191200Z
AKIL2
CONFIDENTIAL
59)
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TOP COM
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 212 OF 19 JULY INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, CONG KONGN RANGOON INFO ROUTINE TOKYO, PEKING, KUALA LUMPUR
INFO SAVING HANOI
WASHINGTON TELNO 2455: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
L. ST
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63
1. ACCORDING TO UNHCR THE US CONSULATE IN HONG KONG HAVE NOW REFERRED TELEGRAPHICALLY TO WASHINGTON US ENTRY VISA APPLICATIONS
FROM 39 OF THE AVA** REFUGEES.
2. IF SOME OR ALL OF THE 39 WERE GRANTED US ENTRY FACILITIES, THE
UNHCR OFFICE HOPE THOSE ACCEPTED WOULD BE ALLOWED TO LAND IN
HONG KONG IN ORDER TO FLY ON TO THE USA.
3. AS REGARDS THE REMAINING 60 OF SO REFUGEES, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY FIRM NEWS FROM BURMA, AND GIVEN THAT IN UNHCR'S (MODIFIED) VIEW THE JAPANESE MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO GRANT TEMPORARY
ASYLUM TO ANY REMAINING AVA'' REFUGEES IF ALREADY REFUSED BY HONG KONG, UNHCR OFFICE HAVE ASKED IF THE REFUSAL TO GRANT TEMPORARY ASYLUM MIGHT BE RECONSIDERED. WE UNDERTOOK TO REPORT THIS
BUT IN DOING SO GAVE NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO OPTIMISM.
4. THE UNHCR OFFICE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE BACKGROUND ON THE SECOND VESSEL GIVEN IN HONG KONG TELEGRAMS 693 AND 699. THEY WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE TO LEARN THE NAME TO THE SECOND VESSEL IN ORDER THAT THEY CAN FOREWARN THEIR BRANCH OFFICE IN MANILA.
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO HANOI
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BOTTOMLEY
FILES: HXD (3)
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NAD
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FED
UND
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
CONFIDENTIAL