CONFIDENTIAL
198
GRS 400
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG 140140Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 50
16 JUN1975
NKK 18/25
L.
NEX
KEF.
TOP COPY
189 2039205
PA
80
2016
TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 590 OF 14 JUNE INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, CANBERRA, UKMIS NEW YORK, ROUTINE WASHINGTON, SINGAPORE, BANGKOK AND PARIS, INFO SAVING HANOI (VIENTIANNE PLEASE PASS).
OUR TELEGRAM NO 561 (NOT TO ALL): UNHCR.
KADRY HAS SPENT FOUR DAYS IN HONG KONG VISITING THE REFUGEE CAMPS AND DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH U.S., CANADIAN, AUSTRALIAN, FRENCH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. BEFORE HE LEFT HE WAS INFORMED THAT, SUBJECT TO H.M.G.'S APPROVAL, WE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO A SINGLE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE BEING POSTED TEMPORARILY TO HONG KONG PROVIDED THAT HE ACTED DISCREETLY AND THAT WE WOULD BE AT LIBERTY TO ASK HIM TO LEAVE
IF CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRED. KADRY WILL BE REPORTING FROM BANGKOK
TO UNHCR IN GENEVA ACCORDINGLY.
2. AS WE SEE IT, THE UNHCR COULD BE USEFUL IN DEALING WITH
ANY HARD CORE OF REFUGEES LEFT AFTER BILATERAL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN 117) EXHAUSTED (SEE PARA 4 OF OUR TELEGRAM NO 506). IN PARTICULAR, IT
WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY AVAILABLE AT THE APPROPRIATE
MOMENT TO DEAL WITH ANY REQUESTS FOR REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM. THIS
WOULD PROVIDE US WITH GOOD GROUNDS FOR REFUSING ANY REQUEST BY THE
VIETNAMESE TO INTERFERE DIRECTLY WITH THE REFUGEES (D.R.V. TRADE
MISSION HAS ALREADY RAISED THIS SUBJECT WITH IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT
ON 2 JUNE). IT WOULD ALSO ABSOLVE US FROM DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OBTAINING GUARANTEES OF FAIR TREATMENT FOR RETURNEES AND FROM ANY CONSEQUENCES IF SUCH GUARANTEES ARE BROKEN, SINCE U N H CR
WOULD THEMSELVES SEEK SUCH ASSURANCES FROM THE VIETNAMESE.
3. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALLOWING A UNHCR PRESENCE MIGHT
DISCOURAGE FURTHER EFFORTS BY INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES TO TAKE REFUGEES
WHO HAVE NO CONNECTIONS WITH THEM. KADRY HOWEVER DID NOT THINK THIS
/WOULD
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 120Page 121
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.