IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
GRPS 120
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 50
21 MAY 1975
(HK)
10XK18/25
COPY
FM FCO 201745Z CORRECTION VERSION
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 210100Z
114
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 403 OF 20 MAY INFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
PEKING ROUTINE SINGAPORE (SAIGON UNIT)
FOR POLITICAL ADVISER
躁
113
REF.
115
NEX
OUR TELNO 397: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. IN VIEW OF MR WHITLAM'S DESIRE TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE COORDINATING DIRECTION OF THE UNHCR (CANBERRA TELNO 433 TO FCO) WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOUR RE-ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTH OF LIKELY CHINESE REACTION IF THE AUSTRALIAN EFFORT WERE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE UNHCR APPEAL. ON THE FACE OF IT, THERE MAY BE DISTINCTION BETWEEN POSSIBLE CHINESE REACTIONS TO UNHCR INVOLVEMENT IN THE VIETNAM REFUGEE PROBLEM AND THEIR KNOWN ATTITUDE TO THE UNHCR VIS-A-VIS CHINESE (AND WHITE RUSSIANS) IN THE COLONY: AND WE ARE ANXIOUS NOT TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY OF SETTLING SOME OF YOUR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN AUSTRALIA EVEN
IF THIS INVOLVES THE UNHCR AEGIS.
2. WE ARE CONSIDERING A HICH-LEVEL APPROACH TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN EARLY REPLY.
CALLAGHAN
FILE S
HKIOD
NAM D
SEAD
SWPD
MVD
WED
DEFENCE D
NEWS D UAND
CONSULAR D
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET]
86
PS/MR ENNALS PS/MISS LESTOR PS/MR HATTERSLEY PS/PUS
MR EDMONDS MR HAWLEY
SIR G ARTHUR MR THOMSON
COPIES TO:
MAJOR B G JOHNSON DS6 MR BLANKS DS11 MOD
MOD
MR FITZGERALD HOME OFFICE MR R MACDOWALL HOME OFFICE MR WATTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OFFICE HOME OFFICE MR KIDD HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
CONSULAR EM UNIT
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
CONFIDENTIAL
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