149
GRPS 400
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM SINGAPORE 138300 Z
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 407 OF 13/10
AND TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
HKCK 2+3/332),
سیکھے در کرا
INFO ROUTINE UALA LUMPUR, UĶMIS GENEVA, AND WASHINGTON
HONG KONG TEL NO 1019 AND YOUR TEL NO 296 (NOT TO ALL); VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON 'SINKIANG''
See 14
1. OUR CONTACTS WITH THE SINGAPORE AUTHORITIES OVER THE STRATHAPPIN CASE GIVE US NO CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD BE PERSUADED TO CHANGE THEIR LONG-ESTABLISHED POLICY. MOREOVER, GIVEN THE UNHCR'S INVOLVEMENT IN ALL CASES OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES LANDED HERE, THERE WOULD BE NO CHANCE OF ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UK AND SINGAPORE REMAINING SECRET. IF ANY REFUGEES WERE TO REMAIN HERE LONGER THAN A FEW MONTHS THIS FACT WOULD QUICKLY BECOME APPARENT TO UNHCR - AND OTHERS. SINGAPORE AUTHORITIES WOULD NOT THEREFORE WISH TO RISK CREATING SUCH A PRECENDENT,
2. IN CASE IT ASSISTS YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE PROBLEM THERE APPEARS TO BE A SMALL DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE SINGAPORE POSIT- ION. WE RECEIVED ON 12 OCTOBER AN MFA NOTE IN REPLY TO OUR NOTE OF 24 SEPTEMBER GIVING HMG'S UNDERTAKING IN THE STRATHAPP IN CASE. MFA'S NOTE STATES THAT SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT HAVE AGREED TO ALLOW THE STRATHAPPIN REFUGEES TO STAY TEMPORARILY IN SINGAPORE FOR THREE MONTHS (SIC), AFTER WHICH ANY REMAINING WOULD BE SENT ON TO THE UK. THIS EXTENSION FROM THE NORMAL TWO MONTHS LIMIT IS CLEARLY A
SPECIAL CONCESSION WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY REFLECTS MPA'S EFFORTS TO BE HELPFUL. THREE MONTHS IS A MORE REALISTIC TIME FRAME TO ALLOW UNHCR TO MAKE RESETTLEMENT ARRANGEMENTS.
3. WE DO NOT CONSIDER THAT THIS CONCESSION MAKES IT ANY MORE LIKELY THAT SINGAPORE AUTHORITIES WOULD, CHANGE THEIR OVERALL POLICY IN THE SINKLANG CASE (IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY A POLICY AGREED Y CABINET). BUT THEY MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO AGREE. TO A THREE RATHER THAN TWO MONTH STAY FOR THESE REFUGEES,
14.
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