TNAG-0557-FCO40-652-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 90

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6. THE P R G HAS ALREADY INDICATED TO ASEAN GOVERNMENTS THAT REFUGEES WOULD BE WELCOME TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. IF WE WERE TO SEEK AND OBTAIN FURTHER ASSURANCES FROM THE PRG BEFORE EITHER WE OR THE REFUGEES WERE ABLE TO JUDGE THEIR VALIDITY, THEY COULD NOT INFLUENCE THE REFUGEES BUT THEY MIGHT PROVIDE POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES WITH AN EXCUSE FOR SUSPENDING ACTION.

7. I SUGGEST THAT LATER ON, WHEN THINGS HAVE SETTLED DOWN IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND RELIABLE NEWS IS AVAILABLE AND PREFERABLY OUR OWN MISSION IS OPERATIVE, THERE COULD BE MERIT IN SUCH AN INITIATIVE, BUT THE PRESENT TIME SEEMS PREMATURE.

8. I EXPECT THAT BY THE FIRST WEEK IN JUNE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE A CLEARER PICTURE FROM HERE OF HOW MANY REFUGEES WE ARE LIKELY TO BE SADDLED WITH ONCE THE FIRST WAVE OF RESETTLEMENT HAS PASSED. PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE NUMBER LEFT WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL.

MACLEHOSE

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HKIOD (4)

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PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

PS/MR ENNALS PS/MISS LESTOR

PS/MR HATTERSLEY

PS/FUS

MR WILFORD

MR MALE

MR EDMONDS

SIR D WATSON MR LARMOUR MR HAWLEY

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MAJ B G JOHNSON

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MR BLANKS

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MR FITZGERALD

HOME OFFICE MR R MACDOWALL

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MR WATTS

COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OFFICE, HOME OFFICE MR KIDD

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

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