PRIORITY
CYPRER CAT A
GPS 300
FM CANBERRA 010005Z
CONFIDENTIAL
R2
CONFIREGIST
-1 AUG 1974
183
TOP COPY
TO PRIORITY FCO TEL NO 702 OF 01 AUGUST 1974 REPEATED FOR INFO TO
PRIORITY SAIGON AND HONG KONG.
176 SAIGON TEL NO 208 TO FCO: HONG KONG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
1. WE RECEIVED ONLY TODAY: COPY OF LATEST EDITION OF 6'NATION
REVIEW'' WHICH CONTAINS FULL TEXT OF CABLE FROM AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY
SAIGON REFERRED TO IN TUR, CABLE INCLUDES ALLEGED VIEW OF BRITISH EMBASSY SAIGON (PARA 2 OF TUR). THE NEWSPAPER ALSO PRINTS LETTER FROM DFA INFORMATION OFFICER GIVING, DFA VERSION OF AFFAIR. OFA
DID NOT CONSULT US, ALTHOUGH THEIR LETTER REFERS TO VIETNAMESE ASSURANCES TO HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS AND COMMENTS THAT
IT WAS PRIMARILY A MATTER FOR THESE TWO GOVERNMENTS TO EVALUATE THOSE ASSURANCES. TEXTS OF THIS AND OF PREVIOUS (JULY 19) ARTICLE
IN 'NATION REVIEW, WHICH CONTAINED SEVERAL SLURS ON BRITISH
OFFICIALS IN FCO AND HONG KONG, FOLLOW BY BAG.
2. COUNSELLOR INFORMATION HAS TOLD DFA INFORMATION OFFICER THAT
WHILE WE ACKNOWLEDGE EXPLINATION AND APOLOGY BY AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR
IN SAIGON OVER LEAKAGE OF TELEGRAM, WE REGRET THAT WE WERE NOT
CONSULTED BEFORE DFA'S OFFICIAL LETTER WAS SENT. INFORMATION OFFICER
REPLIED THAT DFA WERE MAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT CRITICISM OF DFA IN·
THE ARTICLE AND REPEATED THAT AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR IN SAIGON HAD
MADE AN APOLOGY.
3. UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION WE PROPOSE TO FOLLOW UP WITH DEA
AND SAY WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LEAK OF AUSTRALIAN CLASSIFIED DOCU-
MENT CONCERNING CONFIDENTIAL EXCHANGE WITH A BRITISH EMBASSY. WE
WOULD ASK TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF OUTCOME OF ANY INVESTIGATION INTO
THE LEAK.
4. 'NATION REVIEW' IS LARGELY SCURRILOUS WEEKLY PUBLICATION
WITH CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 50,000 BUT WIDELY READ IN ACADEMIC,
POLITICAL AND STUDENT CIRCLES.
5. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD HAVE REPORT OF EXCHANGE BETWEEN
AUSTRALIAN AND HONG KONG (AND UK) GOVERNMENTS ON DEPORTATIONS. CAN YOU CONFIRM ASSERTION BY DFA IN LETTER TO 'NATION REVIEW66
THAT AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT (REPEAT NOT) OFFER ASYLUM IN
AUSTRALIA TO THE VIETNAMESE BEFORE THEIR DEPORTATION?
ATERS FILES
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PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
CONFIDENTIAL
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PS/MR ENNALS REF.
SIR O WRIGHT--5- MR SCOTT MR ASPIN
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