CRS 180
RESTRICTED
FM DUBLIN 241742Z JAN 79
ORITY FCO
RESTRICTED
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 34 OF 24 JANUARY
INFO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG
WASHINGTON
PA
INFO ROUTINE OTTAWA WELLINGTON OSLO BERNE VIENNA BRUSSELS
GENEVA COPENHAGEN BONN BEUROS AIRES
THE HAGUE CANBERRA
TOK YO
UKMIS
INFO SAVING HANOI
YOUR TEL. NO. 35 TO CANBERRA
HIKIS 243/
232
BRASILIA
RECEIVED IN REGISAY NO. 51:
2 6 JAN1979
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
DARK
RE
RY
PA
Action an
INDEX
Nă foalı ar
1. HEAD OF CHANCERY SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED TO THE COUNSELLOR
IN THE DFA WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASIAN AFFAIRS, WHO WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AS THE RESULT OF A CALL ON SEAD BY A MEMBER OF THE IRISH EMBASSY IN LONDON.
2. LYONS SAID THAT CONDIDERATION WAS ALREADY BEING GIVEN TO
THE GENERAL QUESTION OF ADMITTING A SMALL NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES INTO IRELAND. MINISTERS HAD BEEN CONSULTED BUT HAD
YET TO REACH A DECISION. ONE COMPLICATION WAS THAT IT HAD TAKEN SOME THREE YEARS TO SETTLE THE LAST REFUGEES TO COME TO IRELAND
100 CHILEANS WHO HAD COME IN 1975.
3. LYONS COMMENTED THAT IF THE IRISH GOVERNMENT WERE TO DECIDE TO ADMIT ANY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES THEN THEY WOULD WORK THROUGH VOLUNTARY HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS WHOSE PREFERENCE AT THE MOMENT SEEMED TO BE FOR HELPING THOSE REFUGEES NOW IN CAMPS IN MALAYSIA AND THAILAND. BUT THE IRISH GOVERNMENT NOTED "OUR REQUEST AND IF THEY WERE TO MAKE THE DECISION OF PRINCIPLE TO ADMIT SOME REFUGEES THEY WOULD ENSURE THAT CONSIDERATION WAS HIVEN TO INCLUDING VIETNAMESE FROM HONG KONG. STAPLES
FILES
COPIES TO
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
MR BIRT
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE HOME OFFICE
UND
PS
IIK & GD
SEAD
FED
SAD
SIR A DUFF
EID (E).
MR CORTAZZI
PUSD
MR WEIR
OID
MR MURRAY
IPD
NEWS D MVD
RESTRICTED
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
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