CONFIDENTIAL
598
@HKK243/1
GR 270
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK 010400Z MAY 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TEL NO 232 OF 1/5/79
No
Jzó
لا
INFO MANILA, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA AND GOVERNOR HONG KONG
68
MURRAYS TELELETTER OF 24 APRIL ANDYOAR TEL NO 51 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE.
1.NEITHER THAT MEA NOR MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WHO SUPER- VISE RUNNING OF THE REFUGEE CAMPS) ARE AWARE OF ANY FIRM AGREEMENT RESTRICTING USE OF PROCESSING ISLAND TO ASEAN COUNTRIES ONLY. THE POINT WAS NOT MENTIONED BY DR MOCHTAR DURING HIS VISIT TO BANGKOK ON 28 APRIL. THE THAIS HAVE NO FIRM POLICY ON THE ISSUE.WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO GO ALONG WITH THE MAJORITY ASEAN VIEW.GIVEN THE SIZE OF THEIR OWN REFUGEE PROBLEM THERE IS NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULD GO OUT ON A LIMB FOR HONG KONG IF THEIR ASEAN PARTNERS PREFER TO EXCLUDE HONG KONG.
2.IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF MFA THAT THE ISLAND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE OF LAND REFUGEES(CAMBODIANS AND LAOTIANS) AS WELL AS VIETNAMESE BOAT CASES.
3. THE THAIS WILL BE SENDING A 4 MEMBER DELEGATION TO THE JAKARTA CONFERENCE, COMPRISING 2 SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM MFA, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND MINISTRY OF INTERIOR. THEY HOPE THAT THE CONFERENCE WILL SERVE TO REFOCUS WORLD-WIDE ATTENTION ON THAILANDS SERIOUS REFUGEE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT BE SIMPLY RESTRICTED TO DISCUSSING THE ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE. THE THAIS WILL ALSO BE LOBBYING SYMPATHETIC COUNTRIES TO
INCREASE THEIR RESETTLEMENT OFFERS TO TAKE INDO-
/CHINESE
see sas
654
Part I
CONFIDENTIAL