CONFIDENTIAL
HUD 243/8
265
118306
MDLIAN 3763
CONFIDENTIAL
FM
CANBERRA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 403
OF 09030OZ JUNE 88
DIST ?
INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, OTTAWA, TOKYO, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG
YOUR TELNOS 959 AND 960 TO WASHINGTON: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SUMMARY
1. AUSTRALIA SYMPATHETIC TO THE REASONS FOR OUR CHANGE OF POLICY BUT DOUBTFUL IF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES WILL COOPERATE FULLY, AND CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUTURE PRESSURE ON AUSTRALIA TO
INCREASE ITS INTAKE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
DETAIL
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2. DHC CARRIED OUT INSTRUCTIONS WITH BROWN (FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY LEGAL AND CONSULAR DIVISION, DFAT) AND LEFT HIM
WITH A COPY OF THE SPEAKING NOTE. BROWN WAS GRATEFUL FOR BEING
FOREWARNED OF OUR CHANGE OF POLICY HE EXPRESSED CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THE PROPOSAL (PARA 1 OF TUR) FOR REPATRIATION UNDER
SUITABLE SAFEGUARDS. AUSTRALIA HAD BEEN TALKING INTERMITTENTLY
TO VIETNAM ABOUT THE VIETNAMESE OUTFLOW AND POSSIBLE REPATRIATION
FROM CAMPS IN THAILAND. HE SAID THAT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR THEY HAD EMPLOYED STRONG WORDS'' ABOUT, AS THEY SAW IT,
'OFFICIAL CONDONEMENT'' BY THE PROVINCIAL VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES
OF EMIGRATION. HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE VIETNAMESE, NOT JUST IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG.
3. BROWN AGREED THAT MANY REFUGEES WERE NOW LEAVING VIETNAM
FOR ECONOMIC BETTERMENT. THE AUSTRALIANS WERE IN FAVOUR OF ''HUMANE DETERRENCE BUT THERE MUST OF COURSE BE SAFEGUARDS
TO ENSURE THAT GENUINE REFUGEES WERE NOT DENIED SETTLEMENT.
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4. BROWN PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD SPEAK TO RADIO AUSTRALIA
AND ENCOURAGE IT TO BROADCAST DETAILS OF OUR NEW POLICY IN
HONG KONG AFTER 16 JUNE, BUT EMPHASISED THAT THEY COULD NOT INSTRUCT RADIO AUSTRALIA.
5. IN ANSWER TO DHC'S QUESTION, BROWN SAID THAT THERE WAS LIKELY TO BE SOME DISCUSSION IN AUSTRALIA OF OUR NEW POLICY. IT WOULD