TNAG-0794-FCO40-998-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 28

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5. I ALSO ASKED WHETHER SOMEONE FROM UNHCR, PERHAPS DE HAAN HIMSELF, RIGHT SOON BE VISITING VIETNAM, HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS READY TO GO

WHENEVER IT WOULD BE USEFUL. UNHCR WERE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES IN PARTICULAR OVER FAMILY REUNIFICATION. THERE WERE ENCOURAGING SIGNS THAT FAMILY REUNIFICATION CASES INVOLV~ INGSOME DOZEN COUNTRIES WERE BEING PROCESSED IN HANOI. THIS WOULD

HELP CREATE THE QUOTE ORDERLY FLOW UNQUOTE CALLED FOR AT THE RECENT UNHCR CONSULATIONS.

Fco

6. IN PARA 6 OF FCO TELNO 973 IT WAS PRESUMED THAT UNHCR WOULD ALREADY HAVE CONTACTED PANAMA AS THE HUEY FONG'S FLAG STATS. AT OUR REQUEST UNHCR ARE INFORMING PANAMA BRIEFLY OF THE PROBLEM AND

REQUESTING ANY COMMENTS. BUT UNHCR FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THIS CAN ONLY BE A FORMALITY WHICH WILL EVOKE NO RESPONSE. UNLIKE LIBERIA PANAMA DECLINED TO ATTEND THE RECENT CONSULTATIONS. HOWEVER DE HAAN AGREED WITH ME THAT IT WAS RIGHT TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO INVOLVE FLAG OF CONVENIENCE GOVERNMENTS .

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING ADDRESSEES

MURRAY

FILES

UND

HKGD

MR.STRATTON MR.LEAHY

SEAD

FED

SAD

EID (F)

PUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D

MVD

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/MR.LUARD

PS/PUS

SIR A, DUFF

MR.CORTAZZI

MR.WIR MR.MURRAY

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

COPIES TO:

HKGO.

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