136
GRs 502
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI 030211Z MAY85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL -
TELEGRAM NUMBER 031 OF 03 MAY
PRIORITY INFO:FCO
is Walker
R&R
ROUTINE INFO: HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO GENEVA (CARTLAND) HK GO BRUSSELS (JONES),HKGO NEW YORK (DORWARD)
HKGO WASHINGTON (LO)
134
YOUR TELNO 30 OF 29 APRIL: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. NEITHER WE, NOR ANY OTHER EC MISSION HERE, NOR UNHCR HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS STATEMENT.NOR CAN WE IDENTIFY JI JI NEWS AGENCY.
2. UNFORTUNATELY THE LOCAL AFP CORRESPONDENT IS AWAY ON
MEDICAL LEAVE.THERE ARE NO OTHER LOCALLY BASED FOREIGN CORRESPON-
DENTS (EXCEPT KYODO AND HE IS OUT OF TOWN) WITH WHOM WE CAN CHECK. 3. WE ARE TRYING THE FOREIGN PRESS CENTRE BUT THEY ARE STILL
TIED UP WITH 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS AND OUR USUAL CONTACTS
THERE ARE NOW ALL IN HO CHI MINH CITY.
4. UNHCR RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS TOLD US THAT, IF THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE AND ACCURATE, IT WOULD REPRESENT A MAJOR
SHIFT IN OFFICIAL VIETNAMESE POLICY.WE AGREE.THE STATEMENT MAY
HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY QUESTIONS TO THE VIETNAMESE FROM THE HORDES
OF FOREIGN JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE PASSED THROUGH HERE IN THE LAST
FEW WEEKS AND WHO HAVE INEVITABLY ASKED WHY PEOPLE STILL LEAVE
BY BOAT AND WHETHER THEY CAN COME BACK.I REMAIN SCEPTICAL UNTIL
I HAVE SEEN OR HEARD SOMETHING AUTHORITATIVE FROM OFFICIALS NORMALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ODP/REFUGEE QUESTIONS.
5. LE DỤC THO IS A VERY SENIOR MEMBER OF THE POLITBURO WHO HAS
RECENTLY BEEN GIVING INTERVIEWS TO FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS (PRETTY
WELL THE ONLY TIME IN LIVING MEMORY HE HAS DONE THIS) AND THE STATEMENT, IF SUCH IT REALLY WAS, MAY HAVE BEEN AN OFF THE CUFF ANSWER TO A CHANCE QUESTION. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THIS
REFLECTS A GENUINE CHANGE IN WHAT WE, UNHCR AND OTHER EC MISSION REGARD AS SET, OFFICIAL VIETNAMESE POLICY (AS IN MY TELNO
158 TO FCO OF 24 APRIL, PARA 1 AND 2).
6.
WE WILL REVERT IF WE HEAR ANY MORE.
FCO PLEASE PASS ALL ADDRESSEES.
With
reftel.
WOOD
BOAT PEOPLE
LIMITED
SEAD
HKD
UND
FED
NEWS D MAED PS
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
MR GOODALL
MR O'NEILL
MR WILSON
SIR W HARDING
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
HKGO-LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL
Likk 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
03 MAY 1985
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tection Taken