84-9
GRS 329 A
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKDY GL10382
CONFIDENTIAL
FM KUALA LUMPUR 510858Z · JUNE
TO JMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 159 OF 1 JUNE 1979
HKK 2431
TA
RECEIVED FIAGE'S NO.
DESK OFFICIA
INDEX
PA
+
Ло
36
(888)
PRIORITY TO BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, MAHIL HONG KONG (EDR GOVERNOR), UKMIS NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, MOSCOW, WASHINGTON, HANOI
SAVING TO CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, PARIS AND UKREP BRUSSELS
REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM: ASEAN
TELNO 12 OF 30 MAY
1, ACTING HEAD OF CHANCERY CALLED ON PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY SEA DIVISION I (INDOCHINA) IN MFA ON 31 MAY, AND LEFT A PIECE OF
PAPER BASED ON TUR.
2. CARBERRY EMPHASISED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM FACED BY HONG
KONG AND THE COMMON INTEREST OF BRITAIN AND THE ASEAN COUNTRIES
IN PURSUING EVERY POSSIBLE AVENUE TO ACHIEVE SOME ALLEVIATION OF THE
PROBLEM,
HE STRESSED THE DESIRABILITY OF ASEAN COUNTRIES APPROACHING NOT CNLY VIETNAM BUT ALSO THE SOVIET UNION AS THE ONLY COUNTRY CAPABLE
CF EXERTING A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON VIETNAMESE POLICIES.
•
3. HSU KING BEE (WHO SEEMED AGREEABLY IMPRESSED AT ACTION TAKEN BY HNG) SAID THATAIHE MALAYSIANS SXMPATHISED WITH THE GOVERNMENT
OF HONG KONG. SHE SAID THAT THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY MADE REPEATED REPRESENTATIONS TO THE VIETNAMESE. FOLLOWING HIS VISIT TO SOUTH EAST ASIA IN OCTOBER PHAM VAN DONG HAD WRITTEN TO DATUK
HUSSEIN ONN SAYING THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO WHAT
IT COULD TO QUOTE RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND EASE THE BURDEN ON
MALAYSIA UNQUOTE BUT SO FAR THERE HAD BEEN NO CONCRETE EVIDENCE OF
ANY VIETNAMESE ACTION. AT THE JAKARTA CONFERENCE ON 15-16 MAY THE
VIETNAMESE HAD EXPRESSED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO HOLD BILATERAL TALKS
ON THE VIETNAMESE PROBLEM. THE MALAYSIANS HAD FOLLOWED THIS UP ON
SEVERAL OCCASIONS BY ASKING THE VIETNAMESE WHAT THEY HAD IN
MIND BUT HAD RECEIVED NO RESPONSE SO FAR. A JOINT ASEAN
INITIATIVE HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BUT HAD NOT BEEN FOLLOWED THROUGH
BECAUSE NOT ALL ASEAN COUNTRIES WERE REPRESENTED IN HANOI, ALTHOUGH
THE IDEA MIGHT YET BE RESUMED.
CONFIDENTIAL
14
THE