CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
AND BY BAG
2 AUG 1976
FM FCO 30180OZ JUL
PACK 243 / SVO /
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY
UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 168 OF 30/7/76
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON
ROUTINE RANGOON
L'ST
AND SAVING TO HANOL.
MEXT
REF.
YOUR TELNO 244.
114
TOP COPY
110
100
NOF
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE POINT MADE IN PARAGRAPH 5 OF HONG KONG TELNO 757, WE AGREE THAT THE UNHCR'S PROPOSED SCHEME FOR DEALING WITH REFUGEES PICKED UP AT SEA (CALLWAY'S LETTER OF 26 JULY TO MORGAN UND, COPIED TO ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG) CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES WILL HAVE TO BE CONSULTED IF THE SCHEME IS TO BE WORKABLE AND THAT WILL MEAN IT WILL BECOME WIDELY KNOWN.
WE AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO AVOID PUBLICITY
LIKELY TO OVER-STRETCH THE CAPACITY OF WHATEVER SCHEME IS DEVISED
AND IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO CLAIM MORE FOR THE SCHEME THAN IT MAY BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN PRACTISE. PLEASE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE THIS POINT TO THE UNHCR'S OFFICE, AS YOU SUGGEST.
2. PROVIDED THE SCHEME WERE PROPERLY PRESENTED BY THE UNHCR
WE WILL NOT BE UNDULY CONCERNED ABOUT ITS PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
IN TERMS OF UK/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS ( PARAGRAPH 6 OF HONG KONG'S TELNO 757). SO FAR, THE VIETNAMESE INTEREST SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN
CONFINED TO A DETERMINATION NOT TO TAKE BACK ANY OF THEIR REFUGEES (RANGOON TELNOS 121 AND 122). THEY SEEM LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO TREAT OVER-FLYING RIGHTS AS A SEPARATE ISSUE.
CROSLAND
NAD
FILES
FED
HKD (4)
MVD
UN DEPT
NTD
SEAD
CONS DEPT
NRWS DEPT
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
MR LARMOUR
MR CORTAZZI
MR WEIR MR EDMONDS MR HAWLEY
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
MR RUSHFORD, LEGAL
ADVISERS
MR KIDD, HK GOVT OF: MR BRENNAN) HOME MR MCDOWELL) OFFICI LUNAR I. CROYDON
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