GRS 140
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM THE HAGUE 191525Z 19 JAN 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 26 OF 19 JANUARY
HKK...
243
ROLLIVED IN Rye Smy150. 51. 2 2 JAN1979.
RY
80
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
178
INDEX
по
-P
2011
187
YOUR TELMO 63 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. PLOEG IS A MEMBER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY (VVD), WHICH FORMS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT COALITION AND TO WHICH THE FOREIGN MINISTER (NOW VISITING CHINA) BELONGS. HE WAS A CONTENDER FOR A JUNIOR MINISTERIAL POST EARLY LAST YEAR, BUT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO EXAGGERATE THE INFLUENCE WHICH HE WIELDS. NOR HAS HE PREVIOUSLY SHOWN TOO MUCH INTEREST IN REFUGEE AFFAIRS HE IS A FORMER ARMY OFFICER WHOSE SPECIAL FIELD IS DEFENCE ALTHOUGH HE RECENTLY TABLED A PQ ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. HIS VISIT TO THE FAR EAST WAS PURELY PRIVATE AND HE HAD NO BRIEFING FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY BEFOREHAND.
2. THE DUTCH HAVE RECENTLY DECIDED TO ADMIT AN EXTRA 330 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (MALLINSON'S LETTER OF 15 JANUARY TO UN DEPARTMENT, NOT TO HONG KONG). THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO APPEALS FROM UNHCR. THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT ARE MORE LIKELY TO REACT TO PRESSURE FROM UNHCR THAN TO ANYTHING PLOEG MAY SAY.
SYKES
FILES UND
HK & GD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
SEAD
FED
SAD
EID (E)
MR CORTAZZI
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D MVD
MR WEIR
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
MR BIRT
LONDON
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
CONFIDENTIAL