TNAG-0497-FCO40-562-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 180

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FM FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 061745Z

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- 7 AUG 1974

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TO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK TELEGRAM NO 220 OF 6 AUGUST/INFO IMMEDIATE SAIGON PRIORITY HONG KONG.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 267: TRIAL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

:

1. PLEASE TELL SANGUINETTI THAT HE MUST DECIDE FOR HIMSELF WHETHER AND WHEN HE GOES TO SAIGON. AS WE HAVE SAID, HM EMBASSY WOULD BE PREPARED TO EXTEND ASSISTANCE FOR NORMAL FACILITIES. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANISATION IN QUESTIONS WHICH ARE SUB JUDICE, OR TO ACT IN SAIGON IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE APPEAR TO CAST DOUBT ON THE ASSURANCES WE HAVE HAD FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM.

2. SINCE, TO JUDGE BY RECENT CORRESPONDENCE FROM MARTIN ENNALS, AMNESTY APPEAR TO HAVE SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN SAIGON, IT IS SURELY UP TO THEM TO ADVISE SANGUINETTI AND TO ARRANGE QUOTE DISCREET INTERVIEWS UNQUOTE FOR HIM, IF THIS IS WHAT AMNESTY WANT HIM TO DO: AND TO PROVIDE BACK-UP SERVICES AS EG AN INTER- PRETER. IT SEEMS TO US THAT THE MOST HM EMBASSY SHOULD BE ASKED TO DO IS TO HELP HIM TO MAKE CONTACT WITH DEFENCE LAWYERS IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DO SO. IF AMNESTY'S CORRESPONDENTS IN SAIGON CANNOT PROVIDE AN INTERPRETER, HM EMBASSY WOULD NO DOUBT BE ABLE TO PUT HIM IN TOUCH WITH AN OUTSIDE INTERPRETER.

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