GP 220
CONFIDENTIAL
HEF 243/i
HKK
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 031833Z DEC 79
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 594 OF 3 DECEMBER
Р.А.
18890
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA
INFO SAVING TO JAKARTA
UKMIS NEW YORK.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 662
1.
SINGAPORE
1889
CINDEX
MANILA BANGKOK
HA NO
INTALINA REFUGEES.
HANDHA iz
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION GAVE MURRAY THIS AFTERNOON THEIR GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO HIS REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN POSITION. THE AUSTRALIANS NOTED THAT AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES IN OCTOBER, MR RAISON HAD STATED THAT REFUGEES SHOULD BE LANDED AT THE FIRST POST OF CALL QUOTE IF NECESSARY AFTER RECEIVING GUARANTEES OF RESETTLEMENT UNQUOTE. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WAS ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PRINCIPLE FOR WHICH THERE WAS WIDE ACCEPTANCE AND WOULD EXPECT THIS PRINCIPLE TO BE MAINTAINED, IT WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT REFUGEES BROUGHT TO AUSTRALIA WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHORITY : SUCH OCCURRENCES COULD WELL JEOPARDISE AUSTRALIA'S ON-GOING PROGRAMME OF COMMITMENTS FROM THE COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN- CLUDING HONG KONG. THE AUSTRALIANS ADDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT WANT A REPEAT OF THE SITUATION FORCED ON THEM BY THE GREEK GOV- ERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO GUARANTEE RESETTLEMENT OF THE DIMITROS STOWAWAYS.
2.
MURRAY EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT AT THIS REPLY, PARTICULARLY THE SCANTY REFERENCE TO HONG KONG. WE WOULD NOW REPORT TO MINI-
STERS.
3. FOR THE PRESENT YOU SHOULD TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION.
CARRINGTON
FILES
SEAD
MR MURRAY
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
SAD
MR STRATTON
BOAT PEOPLE
HK & GD
LORD N G LENNOX
UND
FED
EID.
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS DEPT
PS
PS/LPS
PS/MR BLAKER
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF MR CORTAZZI
CONFIDENTIAL