(43A
GRS 336
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI 15100OZ JAN 79
N2
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 29 OF 15 JAN
У жні ро
منام
AND PRIORITY HONG KONG BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR MANILA CANBERRA
WASHINGTON UKMIS GENEVA. VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
BECAUSE OF THE REFUSAL OF THE
HONG KONG AND PHILIPPINE GOVTS TO ACCEPT REFUGEES FROM THE HUEY FONG AND TANG AN REPECTIVELY, VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES ARE HOW BEGINNING TO DOUBT THE WISDOM OF SENDING REFUGEES ON SUCH
LARGE SHIPS.
THE RECENT FIRM STATEMENT
SY THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER AND THE FIRM REACTION OF THE
HONG KONG AUTHORITIES OVER THE HUEY FONG HAD LED TO A SHIP, WHICH
LEFT FOR DARWIN OVER CHRISTMAS, RETURNING TO H C N CITY AND OFF- LOADING REFUGEES (THIS WAS THE SHIP, MENTIONED IN MY TELNO 110 OF
1978:
FAILING DARWIN IT WOULD HAVE GONE
TO HONG KONG IF HUEY FONG REFUGEES HAD BEEN ACCEPTED. A SECOND SHIP
DUE TO LEAVE FOR DARWIN IN JANUARY WAS CANCELLED AND ARRANGEMENTS
TO CHARTER THREE MORE SHIPS HAVE BEEN SHELVED FOR THE MOMENT BUT
A DECISION ON WHETHER TO CONTINUE SUCH OPERATIONS DEPENDS LARGELY
ON THE OUTCOME OF THE HUEY FONG AND TANG AN.
FCO PASS ALL.
MARGETSON
FILES
HD/SEAD
HD/UND
HD/FRD
HD/NAD
HD/SPD
HD/IK & GD PS
1
(PASSED AS REQUESTED]
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY MR WEIR
CONFIDENTIAL
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED
UNTIL .......
EXEMPTION No...38.
UNDER FOI