هد
GRS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
A.
HKK 843/332/1
Ry Enter
pa 1147
тра
118/10
FM WASHINGTON 171656Z
1 ~ OCT 1977
CONFIDENTIAL
labe
TO PRIORITY F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 4497 OF 17 OCTOBER 1977
INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG AND
ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR.
SINGAPORE TELNO. 407: SINGAPOREAN POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. STATE DEPARTMENT (EASTON, SINGAPORE DESK) HAVE TOLD US THAT WHEN LEE KUAN YEW WAS HERE LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT CARTER PRESSED HIM HARD TO ADOPT A MORE FORTHCOMING POLICY TOWARDS THE VIETNAMESE 'BOAT CASES''. LEE WAS OBVIOUSLY PREPARED FOR THIS, HE TOLD CARTER HE WAS
PREPARED TO SET ASIDE AN ISLAND IN SINGAPOREAN TERRITORIAL WATERS FOR THE RECEPTION OF SUCH REFUGEES, BUT ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT HE RECEIVED ''IRON CLAD, BANKABLE GUARANTEES'' FROM THE UNHCR THAT THE LATTER WOULD PAY ALL COSTS FOR THE OPERATION AND ACCEPT TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESETTLING THE REFUGEES ELSEWHERE. HE EVIDENTLY DID NOT REGARD THE UNHCR'S PRESENT ''ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY'' AS A FIRM ENOUGH GUARANTEE.
2. THE AMERICANS ARE APPARENTLY PURSUING THE QUESTION OF GUARANTEES ACTIVELY IN GENEVA, EASTON ASKED THAT LEE'S PROPOSAL BE KEPT CONFID- ENTIAL FOR THE MOMENT. THE AMERICANS ARE STILL AFRAID THAT HE MIGHT
BACK OFF, CLAIMING THAT WHATEVER GUARANTEES THE AMERICANS GET FROM UNHCR ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
JAY
· FILES
SEAD
UND
HK GD
MVD
NAD
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/MR.LUARD
PS/PUS
SIR.A.DUFF
MR.MOBERLY
MR.WEIR
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO: MR.C.BIRT H.O. LUNAR HOUSE
Da