TNAG-0445-FCO40-510-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 166

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SAIGON

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GRS 600

CYPHER CAT/A

FM HONG KONG 130708Z

CONFIDENTIAL

IMMEDIATE

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TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 652 OF 13 JUNE INFO IMMEDIATE

SAICON.

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 559 ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM SOUTH

VIETNAM.

I SHARE THE VIEW THAT THE RISK OF HALTREATMENT ON THE RETURN

TO SOUTH VIETNAM MUST BE CAREFULLY WEIGHED, ALTHOUGH I HOPE THAT

YOU WILL AGREE THAT IT IS ONLY IF THIS RISK IS REAL THAT THE

QUESTION OF ASYLUM WHETHER HERE OR ELSEWHERE NEED BE CONSIDERED.

2. I HAVE RECEIVED ASSURANCES FROM THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE CONSUL

GENERAL THAT NOTHING SERIOUS WILL HAPPEN TO THE GROUP. SAIGON

EXPRESSED A SIMILAR VIEW IN THEIR TEL NO 15 OF 6 JUNE. I SEE NO

REASON TO DOUBT THESE ASSURANCES AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT.

FURTHER ASSURANCES COULD BE SOUGHT FROM THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE

GOVERNMENT.

3. ASSUMING THAT THE ASSURANCES PROVIDED ARE ADEQUATE, THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF RETURNING THE WHOLE GROUP TO VIETNAM,

ON THE GROUND THAT IT IS NOT IN HONG KONG'S INTERESTS TO ENCOURAGE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, SEEM TO US TO BE OVERRIDING,

4. THE FACT THAT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAVE APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS LEAKED HERE. CONSEQUENTLY, IF WE DELAY, IT SEEMS INEVITABLE THAT PUBLIC OPINION WILL DE CRITICAL ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE REGARDED AS PRESSURE BY THE U.K. GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION FOR REASONS OTHER THAN THOSE OF THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG

5. WE ARE CONTINUALLY CONSIDERING APPLICATIONS FROM PERSONS

ABROAD TO ENTER HONG KONG ON COMPASSIONATE OR HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. BUT IT IS OUR PRACTICE TO REFUSE ENTRY TO PERSONS AIKAN FUR WETUNUT BEERUISSION AND JO UNIKY THAT THUY GUBALT

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