GRS 354
CONFIDENTIAL
ESKBY 290930Z
FM BANGKOK 2907002
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 340 OF 29MAY
CONFIDENTIAL
HKCK 243/1
RECEIVED IN A
IN.
NO. 51
30 MAY 1979 PA
PA
REGISTRY -cou Taken
По
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INFO JAKARTA KUALA LUMPUR MANILA SINGAPORE UKMIS GENEVA
HONGKONG(GOVERNOR) HANOI VIENTIANE WASHINGTON MODUK(D14) MOSCOW
INFO SAVING PARIS BONN BRUSSELS UKREP BRUSSELS THE HAGUE LUXEMBOURG
ROME COPENHAGEN AND DUBLIN
750
MIPT INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
1. DURING THE PAST WEEK I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH MY
EEC COLLEAGUES, PARTICULARLY THE DUTCH AND GERMAN.
2. THE FOLLOWING POINTS EMERGE WHICH MAY BE WORTH TAKING INTO
CONSIDERATION IN DETERMINING OUR POLICY :
THAN
A) THE PRESENT REFUGEE SITUATION IS PROBABLY ONLY TIP OF THE ICEBERG. 3) THE PROBLEM OF LAND REFUGEES IS OF A MUCH GREATER MAGNITUDE
THAT OF THE MORE WIDELY PUBLICISED BOAT PEOPLE.
C) THERE IS A RISK OF THE SITUATION SPILLING OVER INTO THAI
INTERNAL POLITICS. THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY SEEN BY MANY
AS SOMETHING OF A LAME DUCK. RIGHT - WING ELEMENTS BOTH IN THE
MILITARY AND AMONG CIVILIAN POLITICIANS (ESPECIALLY SAMAK,
LEADER OF THE PRACHAKORN THAI PARTY) MIGHT EXPLOIT THE SITUATION
FOR THEIR OWN ENDS.
D) THER IS ALSO THE RISK OF THE SITUATION ESCALATING INTO OPEN
CONFLICT BETWEEN THAILAND AND VIETNAM AND SO AFFECTING THE SINO-
SOVIET DISPUTE AND EAST-WEST RELATIONS IN GENERAL.
F) THERE IS A NEED TO BRING THE SITUATION TO THE ATTENTION OF THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE (YOUR TELNO 121 TO MOSCOW)
AND TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT STEMS FROM VIETNAM'S INHUMAN
POLICIES AND IS IN PART AT LEAST BASED UPON ETHNIC ANTAGONISMS. F)
ALTHOUGH THE EEC'S ABILITY TO TAKE IN LARGE NUMBERS OF REFUGEES IS LIMITED, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL, MORAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT WHICH THE COMMUNITY CAN USEFULLY OFFER THAILAND AND OTHER
ASEAN COUNTRIES FACED WITH AN APPALLING SITUATION NOT OF THEIR OWN
MAYING. IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE TO SPOIL THE GOOD START MADE AT
THE EEC-ASEAN MINISTERIAL MEETING LAST NOVEMBER.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ G) HMG