BY BAG
UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO
SAVING TELEGRAM
HKk anal1
RECEIVED IN
2 8 FEB 1979
√1431
RIDEX
-28.2
1
TO CANBERRA TELNO 2 SAVING OF 27 FEBRUARY
Copies to Paris, Wellington, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Suva, Port Moresby, UKMIS New York and Vila
Vila telogram 126: Vietnamese Refugees.
1. When Australian Deputy High Commissioner called on Donald Murray on 26 February on other business, the latter raised with him the plans of Jimmy Stevens to settle Vietnamese on
Maewo Island. Murray suggested that the statement in TUR was inappropriate for attributable use, and gave Cook the text
below with the request that it be telegraphed to Canberra on our behalf. Since the text had not been agreed with the French (although we had no reason to suppose that they would dissent from it) we would prefer that it should not be issued as an on the record British statement. But we would not object to it being used attributably if the circumstances made this desirable.
The FCO io discussing with the Quai d'Orsay the terms of a reaffirmation of policy for use by (among others) the Australian High Commission in Singaporo, as requested by the DFA. They will let us have this as soon as agreed, but if something has to be said urgently, ka suggest it should bo in the following teras, rather than those suggested by the British Resident Commissionor, Vila.
"The New Hebrides already exercises a degree of self- government. The control of immigration is one of the subjects devolved to tho Assembly, although decisions by tho Assombly on immigration matters are subject to the joint
approval of the British and French Resident Commissionere in Vila.
Mr Jimmy Stephens