CONFIDENTIAL
HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE FAILURE OF THE INITIAL FLIGHT TO CARRY ANY PASSENGERS AND PRESSURE FROM DISAPPOINTED RELATIVES OF HONG KONG BELONGERS STRANDED IN SAIGON IS BUILDING UP,
4. IF F C O AGREE, GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD APPROACH JAEGER AND SAY THAT I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT UNHCR FLIGHTS ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING EITHER TO HELP HONG KONG BELONGERS LEAVE SAIGON OR TO RETURN REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES. SINCE THE UNHCR HAVE PROMISED US THAT THEY WOULD USE THEIR BEST OFFICES TO FACILITATE THESE MOVEMENTS, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THEY COULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE PRG TO ALLOW ON THESE FLIGHTS BOTH HONG KONG BELONGERS IN SAIGON WANTING TO COME TO HONG KONG AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WANTING TO RETURN TO SAIGON. THERE IS ALREADY ADVERSE LOCAL CRITICISM OF THE FACT THAT THE FIRST FLIGHT WAS EMPTY AND THERE WILL BE MORE CRITICISM IF THE UNHCR IS NOT SEEN AT LEAST TO BE TRYING TO HELP THE VIETNAMESE IN OUR CAMPS WHO WANT TO RETURN. OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE VIETNAMESE WOULD NOT REFUSE ENTRY TO SUCH REFUGEES IF THEY LANDED IN SAIGON, BUT IN ANY CASE WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE THEM BACK IN HONG KONG IF THAT WERE THE CASE, WE WOULD ALSO BE PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE THE FARES OF ANY HONG KONG BELONGERS TRAVELLING ON THIS FLIGHT AND ANY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO RETURN.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
[COPIES SENT TO NO.10 DOWNING STREET]
FS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR.ENNALS
HKIOD
FS
N AM D
SE ASIA D
SWPD
MVD
WED
DEF D
NEWS D
UND
CONS D
COMS EM UNIT
RES DAM SECT
##
11
(FE SECT)
PS/MISS LESTOR PS/MR.HATTERSLEY
PS/PUS
MR.WILFORD
MR.MALE
MR.EDMONDS
SIR D.WATSON
MR.LARMOUR
MR.HAWLEY
REPETITION TO' HANOI
REFERRED FOR DEPARTMENTAL
→2-
CONFIDENTIAL
DECISION, REPEATED AS
REQUESTED TO OTHER FOSTS]
COPIES TO:
MAJ.B.G.JOHNSON DS6 MOD
MR.BLANKS DS11 MOD
MR.FITZGERALD HOME OFFICE
HOME OFFICE
MR. WATTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMME
OFFICE, HOME OFFICE
MR.KIDD, HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE.
MR.R.MACDOWALI
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