CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 360
DESKBY 05080OZ
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 011958Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE LISBON
TELEGRAM NO 71 OF 1 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG FOR GOVERNOR
NEW YORK UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON
HKK2431
PA
RECEIVED PERRYN NO. 51
IN
DESK OFFICER
BRASILIA ROUTINE. UKMI
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Be
895
INFO SAVING HANOI JAKARTA BANGKOK MANTLA SINGAPORE KUALA LUMPUR
MOSCOW PARIS UKDEL BRUSSELS
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
See 982)
1. CORTAZZI SUMMONED THE PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR THIS EVENING, AFTER CUTLINEING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PRESENT CRISIS (PARA 3) HE ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO REPORT THE FOLLOWING REQUEST TO LISBON:
A. PORTUGUESE SUPPORT FOR BRITISH INITIATIVES IN THE UN (THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE TO DR WALDHEIM):
B. THE POSSIBILITY OF PORTUGAL ACCEPTING A FEW REFUGEES. (WE FULLY APPRECIATED THE ENORMITY OF THE REFUGEE INFLUX FROM ANGOLA, MOZAMBIQUE AND EAST TIMOR ) :
C. THE PORTUGUESE MIGHT USE THEIR GOOD OFFICES TO PERSUADE
BRAZIL TO ACCEPT REFUGEES:
D. THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNOR IN MACAU SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO STOP SENDING BOATS ON TO HONG KONG, WHERE THE SITUATION WAS NOW
DESPERATE:
E. THE PORTUGUESE SHOULD LOOK INTO THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES IN ARRANGING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE IN MACAU (UKMIS GENEVA TEL NO 173 OF 31 MAY REFERS).
2. CORTAZZI HANDED THE AMBASSADOR COPIES OF DR WALDHEIM'S MESSAGE TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF 24 MAY AND MRS THATCHER'S REPLY OF 31 MAY (BOTH BEING COPIED TO YOU AS RETRACTS).
3. THE AMBASSADOR WAS TOLD THAT 41,000 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WERE CURRENTLY AWAITING RESETTLEMENT, WITH NEW REFUGEES ARRIVING AT OVER 1,000 PER DAY. OTHER SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES HAD AL SO REACHED SATURATION POINT. THE UK BELIEVED THAT UP TO TWO THIRDS OF THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM FAILED TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION AND
WERE LOST AT SEA, THE ISSUE WAS PERHAPS THE MOST SERIOUS TRAGEDY
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