GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA 950539Z JAN 79
TO
ORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 203/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 5
- 8 JAN 1979
DRAK OFFICER INDEX
REC
IPA
ction.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2 OF 5 JANUARY ·
INFO FCQ WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA.
MIPT
43
N.
1. SO FAR THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE TOLD US NO MORE ABOUT
THE SOURCE OF THEIR INFORMATION OTHER THAN THAT THEIR
VIEWS ON VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT AND
INFORMATION ABOUT TWO VESSELS LEAVING VIETNAM AT THE
END OF DECEMBER ARE BASED ON INTELLIGENCE PIECED
TOGETHER FROM REFUGEES IN AUSTRALIA AND SE ASIA AND THEIR MISSION IN HANOI, SOME MEMBERS OF WHICH RETAIN PRE-LIBERATION CONTACTS AMONG THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN HO CHI MINH CITY. WE WILL TELEGRAPH AGAIN IF FURTHER
ENQUIRIES BEAR FRUIT.
2. AUSTRALIANS DO NOT INTEND TO BRING THE STATEMENTS
TO THE ATTENTION OF THE VIETNAMESE. IF, HOWEVER, THE
VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE
AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN HANOI, THE LATTER ARE INSTRUCTED TO SAY, INTER ALIA, THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DO NOT
CONSIDER IT ''POSSIBLE FOR SHIPS OF THIS SIZE TO OPERATE
CARRYING THE NUMBERS INVOLVED WITHOUT SOME OFFICIAL
VIETNAMESE SUPPORT AND TO ASK VIETNAMESE TO TAKE
WHATEVER STEPS THEY CAN TO DISSUADE THE OPERATORS OF ANY
SHIP CONTEMPLATING A VOYAGE TO AUSTRALIA TO ABANDON SUCH
PLANS''.
3.
QUITE APART FROM THE WIDER ISSUES (SUCH AS ACCEPTABILITY OF THE REFUGEES FOR SETTLEMENT), DARWIN DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COPE WITH EVEN THE MOST TEMPORARY-INFLUX OF MORE THAN 1,000 PERSONS (PLEASE PROTECT).
TEBBIT.
PS/PUS
FILES
UND
PS
HK & GD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
SEAD
PS/MR LUARD
FED
SAD
SIR A DUFF
EID (E)
MR CORTAZZI
PUSD
NR WEIR
OID
מיד!
MR MURRAY
NEWS D
JVD
COPIES TO
48
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LCTION MR BURLEIGH
MR BIRT
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
CONFIDENTIAL