TNAG-0654-FCO40-803-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 48

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FM WASHINGTON 171656Z

1 ~ OCT 1977

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TO PRIORITY F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 4497 OF 17 OCTOBER 1977

INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG AND

ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR.

SINGAPORE TELNO. 407: SINGAPOREAN POLICY ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

1. STATE DEPARTMENT (EASTON, SINGAPORE DESK) HAVE TOLD US THAT WHEN LEE KUAN YEW WAS HERE LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT CARTER PRESSED HIM HARD TO ADOPT A MORE FORTHCOMING POLICY TOWARDS THE VIETNAMESE 'BOAT CASES''. LEE WAS OBVIOUSLY PREPARED FOR THIS, HE TOLD CARTER HE WAS

PREPARED TO SET ASIDE AN ISLAND IN SINGAPOREAN TERRITORIAL WATERS FOR THE RECEPTION OF SUCH REFUGEES, BUT ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT HE RECEIVED ''IRON CLAD, BANKABLE GUARANTEES'' FROM THE UNHCR THAT THE LATTER WOULD PAY ALL COSTS FOR THE OPERATION AND ACCEPT TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESETTLING THE REFUGEES ELSEWHERE. HE EVIDENTLY DID NOT REGARD THE UNHCR'S PRESENT ''ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY'' AS A FIRM ENOUGH GUARANTEE.

2. THE AMERICANS ARE APPARENTLY PURSUING THE QUESTION OF GUARANTEES ACTIVELY IN GENEVA, EASTON ASKED THAT LEE'S PROPOSAL BE KEPT CONFID- ENTIAL FOR THE MOMENT. THE AMERICANS ARE STILL AFRAID THAT HE MIGHT

BACK OFF, CLAIMING THAT WHATEVER GUARANTEES THE AMERICANS GET FROM UNHCR ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

JAY

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UND

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PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/MR.LUARD

PS/PUS

SIR.A.DUFF

MR.MOBERLY

MR.WEIR

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO: MR.C.BIRT H.O. LUNAR HOUSE

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