GRS 270
(72.9)
Hkk 243/1
RECUVIO
M 173151
SECRET
DESKBY 25020AZ
FM FCO 242217Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE HANCI
TELEGRAM NO 87 OF 24 MAY
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF DEPARTMENT
WAS RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 633 OF 24 MAY.
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, HANOI.
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. WE HAVE INFORMATION FROM RELIABLE SOURCES THAT ON 21 MAY 1979, THERE WERE OFF THE MEKONG DELTA EAST OF VUNGTAU TWO SHIPS,
2. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENCE AND GENERAL PURPOSE OF THESE TWO SHIPS WAS UNKNOWN TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES AND WE THINK THAT THIS ALONE PROVIDES GROUNDS FOR REPRESENTATIONS TO THE VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON. UNHCR SHOULD, WE SUGGEST, BE INFORMED ALSO IN VIEW OF THE REQUEST MADE BY HIM IN THE PAST FOR ANY REPORTS WE RECEIVED ON THIS SUBJECT.
WE
THIS IS A COPY SUGGEST A FORM OF WORDS: WE UNDERSTAND THAT WITHIN THE LAST THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
WEEK TWO SIZEABLE SHIPS WERE STANDING BY OFF THE MOUTH OF THE MEKONG READY TO LOAD SOME THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES''.
CLOSED UNTIL
UNDER FOI
EXEMPTION No ..38..