DVANCES BOAT PEOPLE
IMMEDIATE
FS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/UR LUARD
IS/PUS
SIR A DEEP FARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
*
LEAN MURRA-
HD/UND (2)
HD/KGD
HD/WVD
D/NEWS DEPT
HD/SEAD
GRS 170
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PARIS 2112222 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 185 OF 21 FEBRUARY 1979
گا
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
ADVANCE COPY HKK 243/1
1 FEB 1979
DESK. OFFICES
INDEX
PA
NO. 51
406
No
Joolz f
Wilmer J
MA
INFO PRIORITY JAKARTA, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, BONN AND HANOI.
390-FCO TELNO 348 OF 16 FEBRUARY TO WASHINGTON # ISLAND PROCESSING
CENTRE FOR VIETNAM REFUGEES.
1. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE QUAI D'ORSAY WHO EXPECT TO REACT NEGATIVELY TO THE IDEA WHICH THEY REGARD AS PROVIDING THE ASEMA COUNTRIES WITH A PRETEXT FOR HANDING OVER ALL FURTHER RESPONSIBILITY TO WESTERN COUNTRIES AND THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER. THE FRENCH SHARE ALL OUR RESERVATIONS AND HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL ONES, NOTABLY THE FEAR THAT SUCH AN ISLAND WOULD BECOME THE FOCUS FOR CONSIDERABLE INTERNATIONAL PRESS INTEREST. THE QUAT SAID THAT CONDITIONS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE BAD, AND THE PULLICITY WOULD MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO RESIST PRESSURE TO GIVE ELANKET GUARANTEES TO TALE ALL REFUGEES ARRIVING ON THE ISLAND. THE FRENCH WERE UNLIKELY TO MAKE ANY SPECIFIC COUNTER-PROPOSAL, BUT THEY WERE CONSIDERING WHETHER ANYTHING COULD BE MADE OF THE IDEA OF PROCESSING REFUGEES IN A MORE ORDERLY FASHION WITHIN VIETNAM UNDER UNHCR SUPERVISION, AN IDEA WHICH HAD APPARENTLY HAD BEEN MOOTED SOME TIME AGO.
HENDERSON.
ENNI