GPS 200
· IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAG
FM FCO 151805Z
SECRET
SECRET
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY
C
16 JUL 1976
01
NKK 243/5 x81/1
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 552 OF 15 JULY.
TOP COPY
+
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, RANGOON, UKMIS GENEVA, ROUTINE PEKING, KUALA LUMPUR.
INFO SAVING HANOI.
MY TELNO 67 TO RANGOON: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
LAST
REF.
NEXT
REF.
1. YOU WILL HAVE NOTED THAT THE BURMESE AMBASSADOR ASKED CORTAZZI WHETHER WE HAD CONSULTED THE VIETNAMESE HERE.
2. IT OCCURS TO US THAT THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY OF THE
BURMESE SEEKING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BY ARRANGING FOR THE
''AVA" TO RETURN THE REFUGEES TO VIETANM, IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WE COULD EXPECT AN ADVERSE REACTION FROM PARLIAMENT, POSSIBLY FROM THE AMERICANS AND, NO DOUBT, THE UNHCR,
i
3. THE RISK IS THAT, IF THE BURMESE AND THE VIETNAMESE DO A DEAL, WE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. IN ORDER TO TRY TO FORESTALL SUCH AN EVENTUALITY, PLEASE ARRANGE FOR THE ''AVA" TO BE KEPT UNDER THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE SURVEILLANCE, EG BY USE OF THE ROYAL NAVY PATROL 30AT WHICH IS IN THE VICINITY 2 (YOUR TELNO 699, PARAGRAPH 3). YOU SHOULD REPORT AT ONCE ANY
INDICATION WHICH YOU MAY RECEIVE THAT THE "AVA'' IS ABOUT TO
SET SAIL.
CROSLAND
FILES
HKD (4) SEAD
UND
FED
NEWS D
FS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
MR WEIR
SECRET