GPS 510
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY C10900Z FCO
CONFIDENTIAT
FM UKMIS NEW YORK 312321Z MAY 1979
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TEL NO 544 OF 31 MAY 1979
HKK.2431
RECEIVED ARROW NO. 51
TOP COPY
DESK #IDEX
Ло
86.6 Be
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
878
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG MOSCOW PEKING
WELLINGTON KUALA LUMPUR
TOK YO ROME LUXEMBOURG
COPENHAGEN UKREP BRUSSELS
WASHINGTON CANBERRA
SINGAPORE BANGKOK JAKARTA MANILA
THE HAGUE PARIS BONN BRUSSELS
DUBLIN
YOUR TELS NOS 224 AND 225: INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES
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>
1. ALTHOUGH THE TEXT OF THE PRIME MINISTERS REPLY TO THE SECRETARY GENERALS MESSAGE OF 25 MAY REACHED US WHILE THE SECURITY COUNCIL WERE IN FORMAL SESSION ON SOUTH LEBANON, I WAS ABLE TO WARN WALDHEIM
I SHORTLY BEFORE IT BEGAN THAT THE REPLY WAS ON ITS WAY. I EXPLAINED THE INTENTION TO PUBLISH IT VERY SHORTLY. I PASSED THE TEXT TO WALD-
HEIM DURING THE SESSION.
2. WHEN THE MEETING ADJOURNED, I HAD A SHORT TALK WITH WALDHEIM: URCUHART AND AHMED HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY WERE ALSO PRESENT. HE SAID THAT HE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE WITH MRS THATCHERS PROPOSAL FOR A FURTHER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE UNDER HIS AUSPICES. HE WELCOMED THE INTENTION TO PUBLISH, BUT HOPED THAT WE COULD ALSO EMPHASISE PUBLICLY THE NEED FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION OF THE CONFERENCE, HE WOULD BE MOST RELUCTANT TO HOLD A CONFERENCE THAT DID NOT TACKLE THE PROBELM EFFECTIVELY. WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON OUR PROPOSAL, HE WOULD UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARATORY WORK.
3. WALDHEIM SAID THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED STRONG FEELINGS DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO ASIA, PARTICULARLY IN THAILAND, THAT SEVERAL COUNTRIES WERE FACED WITH A SEVERE REFUGEE PROBLEM AND THE WEST WERE NOT HELPING TO SOLVE IT. HE WAS TOLD THAT IDEAS SUCH AS LIMITS ON THE EXODUS FROM VIETNAM TO SAY 10,000 PER MONTH, WERE ALL VERY WELL, BUT IT WAS EVEN MORE URGENT TO MOVE THE REFUGEES ALREADY IN CAMPS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF SOUTH EAST ASIA.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. WALDHEIM
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