#
CONFIDENTIAL
3. WITH PRESENT FIGURES AT 40,000 REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA AND 130,000 IN THAILAND, CLEARLY A BIG INTERNATIONAL EFFORT WILL BE NEEDED. MOREOVER WE HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THAT VIETNAM IS APPARENTLY CONDUCTING A LARGE-SCALE EXPORT TRAFFIC IN REFUGEES MOST OF WHOM WE SUSPECT, HAVING BEEN MADE TO PAY IN GOLD, NOW LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT CONNIVANCE. THIS HAS CREATED A NEW SITUATION IN WHICH NEARBY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING HONG KONG, MAY
WELL HAVE TO COPE COLLECTIVELY WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF NEW REFUGEES
WEEKLY IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
4. THE US EMBASSY CALLED ON 30 NOVEMBER (COPY OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONS
BY BAG TO WASHINGTON AND UKMIS GENEVA). THEY SAID THE US WOULD LIKE TO SEE DISCUSSED AT GENEVA THE POSSIBILITY OF ACHIEVING A MORE
ORDERLY OUTFLOW OF REFUGESS FROM VIETNAM. WE SHOULD LIKE TO KNOW
IF ANY GOVERNMENTS PROPOSE TO RAISE THE SUBJECT OF VIETNAM'S DEPLORABLE BEHAVIOUR DURING THE MEETING, POSSIBLY UNDER PROVISIONAL
ACENDA ITEM IV (''DURABLE SOLUTIONS''). WE DO NOT SEE HOW THIS CAN ESCAPE MENTION. CLEARLY, HOWEVER, THE ADVANTAGES OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTERNATIONAL DISAPPROVAL, WHICH MIGHT HAVE SOME INHIBITING. EFFECT ON VIETNAMESE POLICIES, MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST THE HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS, THE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE OF HELP FOR PEOPLE IN DISTRESS, AND THE RISK THAT GENUINE REFUGEES MAY SUFFER IN VIETNAM IF ESCAPE OR DEPARTURE BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT AS A
RESULT OF FREE WORLD REACTION.
5. BRITAIN WILL BE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING BY SIR J MURRAY, UK PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE IN GENEVA, TOGETHER WITH OFFICIALS
FROM LONDON AND HONG KONG.
2
CONFIDENTIAL
/6. WASHINGTON,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.