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31 MAY 1910
DESK OFFICIA
INDEX
RY
1794
CONFIDENTIAL
GR 360
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 301269Z
FM SINGAPORE 30083ØZ MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 170 OF 30 MAY
M
PA
21.8
6
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, THE HAGUE (FOR SOS) YOUR TELS NOS 118 AND 119: INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
808
809
1. I SPOKE FIRST THING THIS MORNING TO ROBERT LIM, LEE'S SECRETARY, AND REQUESTED AN INTERVIEW EXPLAINING MY PURPOSE IN SOME DETAIL, LIM SAID THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S DAY WAS HEAVILY BOOKED. HE SUGGESTED 1 SEND THE MESSAGE TO HIM TO PLACE BEFORE
THE PRIME MINISTER SO THAT, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO FIT IN AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME, LEE WOULD HAVE HAD TIME TO GIVE HIS MIND TO THE SUBJECT MATTER. I DID THIS, SENDING ALSO THE TEXT OF THE STATEMENT IN YOUR TELNO 120.
2. LIM HAS JUST RUNG TO SAY THAT, ALTHOUGH LEE HAS A PRIVATE LINE TO THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES WHICH HE COULD USE, HE FEELS INHIBITED FROM DOING SO (AS I HAD SUSPECTED HE MIGHT BE) BECAUSE
OF SINGAPORE'S OWN POLICY TO THE REFUGEES, IE THAT NONE ARE ALLOWED IN FOR SETTLEMENT, LEE. WOULD BE SENDING ME A CONSIDERED
REPLY ON THESE LINES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
3. I SAID THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE TOOK ACCOUNT OF THIS
ASPECT OF SINGAPORE'S POLICY IN ITS REFERENCE TO THERE BEING
PLENTY OF SPACE IN TAIWAN. BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL SITUATION IN
THE TWO COUNTRIES WAS SO DIFFERENT I WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT MR
LEE WOULD NOT HAVE FELT INHIBITED FROM GETTING IN TOUCH WITH
HIS TAIWANESE CONTACTS,
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 4. I ASKED