TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 119

7 V

PP KUALA LUMPUR

GRS 169A

CYPHER CAT A

FM FCO 151835Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 197 OF 15 JULY

34

FOLLOWING TEL WOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF DEPT WAS SENT TO HONG KONG TELNO 543 OF 14 JULY

EEGINS

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 548 OF 14 JULY

AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA RANGOON AND PEKING

AND SAVING TO HANOI.

HY TELNO 132 TO UKMIS GENEVA

VIETNAMESE REFUGGEES

1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM MY TEL UNDER REF THAT WE ARE TRYING TO STEER THE UNHCR IN THE DIRECTION OF THE BURMESE AND CORTAZZI PROPOSES TO SEE THE BURMESE AMBASSADOR SHORTLY.

2. MINISTERS HERE HOPE AND ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE CONDITIONS ABOARD THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS THE HEALTH OF THE REFUGEES. ( YOUR TELNO 699 AND TELEPHONE CONVERSATION DONALD/O'KEEFFE ON 13 JULY.) AS WITH THE THREE HOSPITAL CASES, YOU WOULD NO DOUBT BE PREPARED TO ACT QUICKLY IF CONDITIONS DETERIORATED. REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, IT WILL REMAIN IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS ARE SEEN TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT WHILE THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE REMAINS OFF HONG KONG.

ENDS

CROSLAND

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