HUD 243/8

RESTRICTED

MAR

f.a.

1350262

MDLIAN 334

B6

RESTRICTED

FM MANILA

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 79

OF 29030OZ FEBRUARY 88

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

HONG KONG TELNO 808-

1

.

34

IETMANESE REFUGEES

ونساء

Mike Reilly day

годи

S

today 1/3

a tel on tus

WE HAVE NOT HEARD LOCALLY THAT THE PHILIPPINE AUTHORITIES 'WOULD WELCOME SOMEONE FROM HONG KONG VISITING MANILA TO DISCUSS THE VIETMANESE REFUGEE ISSUE. FILIPINO DIPLOMATS TEND TO SAY POLITE THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN VISITS ARE PROPOSED I DOUBT WHETHER MUCH WOULD BE ACHIEVED BY A VISIT, THOUGH THERE IS NO HARM IN EXCHANGING VIEWS.

2.

THERE IS NO CENTRAL COORDINATION FOR REFUGEE AFFAIRS HER (AS THE US EMBASSY KNOW TO THEIR COST) AND THIS EMBASSY WILL DOUBTLESS HAVE TO ARRANGE THE PROGRAMME. BOAT PEOPLE ARE ACCOMMODATED IN A CAMP IN PALAWAN ISLAND AND THE POLICY IS TO GET THEM OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE MOSTLY VIA THE AMERICAN PROCESSING CAMP IN BATAAN.

3.

IF FRENCH COMES WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO BRIEF HIM AND ENTERTAIN HIM. ASSUMING THE IDEA IS APPROVED IN LONDON WE RECOMMEND THAT HONG KONG SHOULD EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND TO DFA ASSISTANT SECRETARY SEVERINO WHO WILL BE VISITING CONSUL-GENERAL REYES ON ABOUT 3 MARCH.

MACINNES

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

118

DISTRIBUTION

121

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

ECD (E)

SPD

FED

NEWS

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS MR EGGAR

PAGE

1

RESTRICTED

Share This Page