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ALONGSIDE. THE SECOND BOAT HAD REACHED THE MALAYSIAN COAST ON 14 OCTOBER AND WAS TOWED TO THE RENDEZVOUS BY P39. SINCE IT WAS OVER-LOADED 15 REFUGEES WERE TRANSFERRED FROM IT TO THE FIRST. BOTH BOATS WERE THEN TOWED IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION BY P41 BEFORE THE ROPES WERE CUT. A STRONG SEA ON 17 OCTOBER SEPARATED THE TWO BOATS. THOSE RESCUED BY THE 'BARBER TAIF' DO
NOT KNOW WHAT BECAME OF THE SECOND BOAT.
4.
ONE OF THE REFUGEES ON THE 'BARBER TAIF' SAID HE HAD BEEN OFFERED A PLACE FOR SEVEN TAELS OF GOLD (WHICH HE COULD NOT AFFORD)
ON A STEEL BOAT BEING ORGANIZED IN HO CHI MINH CITY TO LEAVE IN NOVEMBER WITH ABOUT 800 PEOPLE. HE HAD NO FURTHER DETAILS OF THIS BOAT (NOR OF HOW PAYMENTS WERE BEING ORGANIZED) BUT SAID HE KNEW OF ABOUT 120 SMALL BOATS PREVIOUSLY EARMARKED FOR ETHNIC CHINESE BEFORE THE MORATORIUM, LYING IN VARIOUS PORTS GUARDED BY PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICIALS. OVER 70 WERE IN VUNG TAU. HE ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE UNHCR 7-POINT PROGRAMME WAS NOT A PRACTICAL WAY TO LEAVE VIETNAM BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE VIETNAAMEESE GOVERNMENT SEMI-CLN A FRIEND OF HIS WITH A HUSBAND IN THE U.S
HAD MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO LEAVE THIS WAY WITHOUT SUCCESS.
5. WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE CONTENTS OF PARAS 1 TO 4 ABOVE BEING PASSED TO THE MALAYSIANS, POSSIBLY WITH THE ORAL COMMENT THAT PARAS 1 AND 3 REVEAL THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE POLICIES ON FIRST ASYLUM FOLLOWED IN MALAYSIA AND IN HONG KONG.
6. IF YOU AND HANOI AGREE, WE SUGGEST THAT THE REPORT IN PARA.4
ABOVE OF A BOAT BEING ORGANIZED IN H.C.M CITY MIGHT BE PASSED TO THE VIETNAMESE TO SHOW THAT WE ARE WATCHING DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY.
7. IF YOU AGREE, WE SUGGEST THAT PARAS 1 TO 4 ALSO BE PASSED (PARAS 3-4 IN CONFIDENCE) BY OTHER COPY ADDRESSEES TO LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
BANGKOK PSE PASS SAVING HANOI
MACLEHOSE
FILES
SEAD
HKJGD FED
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
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