CONFIDENTIAL
GR 20
PRICE
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PA
CYPHER CAT A
AND BY BAG.
256.
FM F C O 301850Z-OCT···
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY SINGAPORE TELNO 260 OF 30 OCTOBER
INFO KUALA LUMPUR
INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG AND HANOI
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN RECASTRY NO. 51
3 1 OCT 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
No
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YOUR TELNO 338: POLICY IN SINGAPORE ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
RY
Action Ten
CLE
1. WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS US INITIATIVE AND CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD LOOK BEST IF SAMPATKUMAR WENT ALONG ALSO AND IF YOU WERE JOINED BY SEVERAL OF THE NINE (AND THE AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS).
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2. YOU COULD CONTRAST THE SINGAPORE PROPOSALS WITH HONG KONG'S RECORD WITH REGARD TO THE RECEPTION OF QUOTE BOAT REFUGEES UNQUOTE, THERE ARE NOW NEARLY 4,000 REFUGEES IN THE COLONY, DESPITE HONG KONG'S OWN OVER-CROWDING PROBLEMS, THE AUTHORITIES STILL ACCEPT REFUGEES WHO MAKE THEIR OWN WAY THERE IN SMALL CRAFT, OR WHO ARE PICKED UP AT SEA WHEN, THE VESSEL'S NEXT SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL IS HONG KONG, ALL ARE ACCEPTED ON THE BASIS OF THE USUAL. UNHCR
UNDERTAKING.
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3. WE DOUBT THE WISDOM OF ENTERING INTO DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH SINGAPOREANS ON LINES OF PARAGRAPH 5(A) OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. BUT YOU COULD TELL THEM THAT THE UNHCR EXECUTIVE COMM- ITTEE RECENTLY WELCOMED THE INTENTION OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TO CALL WELL-ORGANISED AND SUBSTANTIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH ALL INTERESTED GOVERNMENTS (BEFORE THE END OF 1978) ON THE INDO- CHINESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, WE UNDERSTAND UNHCR ARE NOW CONSIDERING HOLDING A CONFERENCE OF ALL INTERESTED PARTIES IN GENEVA: WE THINK THAT THAT CONFERENCE WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE VENUE FOR THE SINGAP OREANS TO EXPLORE WAYS OF ALLEVIATING THE PROBLEM WHICH THE REFUGEES MAY BE CAUSING THEM,
CONFIDENTIAL
4. WE
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