GPS 644
CONFENTIAL
CONFIDEN MAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR 029900Z MAY 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 129 OF 2 MAY
INFO JAKARTA
BANGKOK
HKK 243/1
TOP COPY
по no 1J3.5
MANILA GOV HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA
581
MURRAY'S TELELETTER OF 24 APRIL. VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ISLAND
PROCESSEING CENTRE.
1. DURING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF MEA, ZAKARIA, ON 27 APRIL I RAISED THE QUESTION OF INCLUDING HONG KONG REFUGEES IN THE ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE. ZAKARIA ARGUED THAT THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY AN ASEAN SCHEME AND THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY ITS USE FOR REFUGEES FROM OUTSIDE ASEAN REGION. WHEN I STRESSED THE GRAVITY OF HONG KONG PROBLEM AND THE FACT THAT SOME REFUGEE VESSELS HAD ARRIVED THERE RATHER THAN IN ASEAN COUNTRIES PURELY FORTUITOUSLY, HE ASKED WHETHER WE COULD SEEK THE HELP OF THE AMERICANCS TO PROVIDE AN ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC (EG GUAM) OR ALTERNATIVELY CONSULT THE JAPANESE.
2. I POINTED OUT THE GREATER ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE OF CONCENTRATING THE RECEPTION AND PROCESSING OF REFUGEES IN ONE PLACE AND REPEATED THE HOPE THAT IN VIEW OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNHCR AND OTHERWISE MALAYSIA AND HER ASEAN PARTNERS WOULD CONSIDER
SYMPATHETICALLY THE POSSIBILITY OF HONG KONG'S INCLUSION.
1 EMPHASISED THE ROLE HONG KONG AS WELL AS THE UK ARE PLAYING.
3. HE REMAINED RESERVED.
HAWLEY
(614)
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