HERE ONE FOR YOU
HOFO 819/27
PP F C O
GRS 495
CONFIDENTIAL
R
HKK 243/1
INDERR
No
FM HONG KONG 2708402 JAN 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
2 FEB 179
TELEGRAM NUMBER 186 OF 27 JANUARY
FOR PVS FROM GOVERNOR.
263
Regists, please cops to
UN [ept (Nhorgan)
5229/1
3. 51
en
D
на
Hi SEAD Ho HK + Gij 1. Murray.
1. WOULD THE S OF S BE PREPARED TO SPEAK TO MR VANCE ABOUT
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES? AN OVERALL LONGTERM PLAN IS URGENTLY
NEEDED, AND IN SPITE OF ALL THE GOOD WORK HE AND HIS STAFF HAVE
DONE, I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING.EMERGING FROM THE UNHCR IN TIME
TO MEET THE EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT IS DEVELOPING. PERHAPS
THE TIME IS RIPE FOR AN ANGLO-AMERICAN PLAN ?
2. SALIENT FACTS ARE :-
A. COUNTRIES ROUND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ARE ALREADY SATURATED
WITH REFUGEES AND THEIR PATIENCE IS RUNNING OUT.
B. IN SPITE OF UK LEAD THERE SEEMS NO IMMEDIATE PROSPECT OF POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES MAKING OFFERS COMMENSURATE EVEN WITH NUMBERS OF REFUGEES ALREADY LANDED OR ARRIVING DAILY, BUT
C. A VARIETY OF FACTORS IN VIETNAM NOW FAVOUR A MUCH MORE MASSIVE
EXODUS THAN SINCE THE FALL OF SAIGON