CONFIDENTIAL
010015
MDHIAN 1160
WAS ANYTHING LIKE AS MUCH OF AN INCENTIVE FOR THE VIETNAMESE AS
CASH ON THE NAIL. AS WE EXPECTED, HE WAS NOT MUCH INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAD TO SAY ABOUR OUR EXPERIENCES, AND HE DID ASK ME
WHETHER ANY SUM OF MONEY HAD BEEN MENTIONED.
COMMENT 6.
IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE MALAYSIANS ARE NOW UNDER SUCH PRESSURE
THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO PAY QUITE A LOT TO GET RID OF THE REFUGEE
PROBLEM. THE REFUGEE POPULATION OF PULAU BIDONG HAS
RISEN FROM 8,000 TO 13,000 IN THE LAST YEAR AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS PRESSING HARDER THAN EVER OVER THE ISLAND'S
RETURN. I DOUBT WHETHER THEY NOW EXPECT, AS LONG AS THEY SPEND ENOUGH, TO HAVE TO EMBARK UPON THE MELODRAMATIC ALTERNATIVE MENTIONED IN PARA 3 ABOVE OR INDEED WHETHER IT WILL BE DESCRIBED TO THE
VIETNAMESE IN QUITE THESE
TERMS.
SPRECKLEY
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YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
64
DISTRIBUTION
78
UND
SEAD
PLANNERS
FED
NEWS DEPT
RESEARCH DEPT
HKD
SOVIET DEPT
LEGAL
ADVISERS
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
SIR J FRETWELL
ADDITIONAL
14
CABINET OFFICE
PS/MR PATTEN
MR ROBERT GRAHAM-HARRISON, (EAD, ODA)
COL HINTON, DI ROW 3F, MOD
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