TNAG-0653-FCO40-802-Previously-closed-extract-Folio-87.-Now-released-and-reunite-1977 — Page 35

995612

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

M BRUNEI 07883øZ JUL

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

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4

kare p

11 JUL 1977

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ما

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 155 OF 7 JULY 1977

RFI PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR SINGAPORE BANGKOK HONG KONG AND

UKMIS GENEVA,

YOUR TELNO 138: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

1,

I HAD A LONGISH AUDIENCE WITH THE SULTAN, SIR OMAR WAS ALSO PRESENT, I STRESSED THE BRITISH ANGLE, THE UPSHOT WAS BRUNEI AGREEMENT TO DISEMBARKATION OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

AT SERIA ON THE BASIS OF1-

(A)

PROCESSING WITHIN BRUNEI BEING A BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITY: THERE WOULD BE NO UNHCR INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE STATE,

(B) MY OWN ASSURANCE THAT THE HIGH COMMISSION WOULD WORK TOWARD THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE RESETTLEMENT,

(C)

THAT WE WOULD DO NOTHING TO STIMULATE LOCAL PUBLICITY.

2. TO BEGIN WITH, SIR OMAR QUOTED REPORTS THAT THE SURVIVORS HAD DELIBERATELY SET SAIL FOR BRUNEI, i COULD SEE HIM HEADING TOWARDS SUGGESTING THAT BRUNEI SHOULD NOT ACT SO AS TO SEEM A HAVEN FOR VIETNAMESE WISHING TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY, I THEREFORE THOUGHT IT SENSIBLE TO SAY THERE WAS NO FOUNDATION FOR THESE REPORTS: IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE THAT THE COMMUNIST VIETNAMESE WOULD PERMIT FISHING CRAFT TO SAIL WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL TO GET TO BRUNEI. I THEN EXPLAINED THAT WHEN THE CRAFT WA S SIGHTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA IT WAS SINKING, AND WITHOUT FOOD, WATER, FUEL OR A COMPASS SEMI COLON THE VIETNAMESE WERE HOPING TO BE PICKED UP BY A PASSING SHIP COING ANYWHERE AND COULD ONLY PRAY''. SIR OMAR THEN CHANGED HIS TACK, AND SAID IT WAS OF COURSE THE DUTY OF A RESPONSIBLE CAPTAIN TO SAVE LIFE, AND SO ON, AND HE TRUSTED THE BRITISH,

CONFIDENTIAL

HE.