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FM MANILA 300338Z APR 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 151 OF 30 APRIL
PA
No
J2.5
INFO JAKARTA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA AND
GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
TELELETTER 577 OF 23 APRIL FROM T J O'BRIEN TO MURRAY REFERS.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: ISLAND PROCESSING CENTRE.
1. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE HERE ABOUT THE STATE
OF THINKING ON ISLAND REFUGEES. HE SAYS THAT THE UNHCR HAVE FORMED
NO VIEWS AND HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO NOTHING. THERE IS A LOT
OF LOGISTICAL GROUND WORK STILL TO BE COVERED AND THE POSITION
IS FLUID. HE BELIEVES THAT THE CONFERENCE IN JAKARTA ON 15 MAY
MAY HELP TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD BUT DOUBTS, EVEN THEN, IF MANY
OF THE PARTIES WILL HAVE ADOPTED A FIRM POSITION ON WHICH REFUGEES ·
WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR WHICH ISLANDS.
2. CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSAL THAT THE PHILIPPINES SHOULD
ESTABLISH A REFUGEE ISLAND HAS ADVANCED HARDLY AT ALL BUT LOCAL
OPINION AT THIS STAGE TENDS TOWARDS KEEPING ANY SUCH PHILIPPINE
ISLAND PURELY FOR REFUGEES WHO TURN UP IN THE PHILIPPINES. U.S.
AMBASSADOR CLARK HAS BEEN DISCUSSING THE REFUGEE QUESTION WITH
PHILIPPINE AUTHORITIES THIS WEEKEND AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT
PHILIPPINE VIEWS MAY BEGIN TO FIRM UP AS A RESULT. WE SHALL TRY
AND FIND OUT AND REPORT FURTHER.
BENTLEY
FILES
U22
HK-GD
SEAD
FED
SAD
EID (E)
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D MVD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY
ROBERTS
PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
MR LEAHY
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
MR BURLEIGH.
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE
CROYDON
RESTRICTED