TNAG-0879-FCO40-1089-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 5

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FM FCO 261329Z JAN 79

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TO IMMEDIATE BRUNEI

TELEGRAM NUMBER 13 OF 26 JANUARY

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AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR

INFO SAVING TO HANOI, SINGAPORE, MANILA, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR)

YOUR TELNO.24:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. YOU CORRECTLY SURMISED THAT WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER THESE REFUGEES TO BE A BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY (YOUR PARAGRAPH 3), THEIR CASE IS ANYWAY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE ON THE BRITISH VESSELS ALTANIN (FC0 TELNO 206 (77) TO UKMIS GENEVA) OR GADINIA (YOUR TELNO 164 (78))

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2. WE SHARE THE CONCERN OF THE UNHCR ABOUT THE LATEST ARRIVALS (KUALA LUMPUR TELEGRAM NO.53), AND SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONVEY TO THE BRUNEI AUTHORITIES UNHCR'S UNDERTAKING: TO RE-SETTLE THE REFUGEES AND TO MEET CARE AND MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR THEM.

3. IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORLWIDE CONCERN ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM, AS EVIDENCED AT THE MEETING IN GENEVA UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES IN DECEMBER 1978, ANY DECISION NOW BY THE BRUNEIS TO OBLIGE THE PRESENT REFUGEES TO LEAVE IN MONSOON CONDITIONS WOULD BE LIKELY TO SHOW THE SULTAN UP AS SHIRKING A HUMANE RESPONSIBILITY, IT WOULD BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF THIS OCCURRED NOW WHEN BRUNEI IS PREPARING HERSELF FOR ENTRY INTO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND WHEN HER RELATIONS WITH HER ASEAN NEIGHBOURS NEED TO BE HANDLED WITH ESPECIAL

CARE.

4. BUT THE BRUNEIS WILL BE ACTING IN THE BEST HUMANITARIAN TRADITIONS AND, WE ARE SURE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR OWN FEELINGS, IF THEY ALLOWED THE REFUGEES TO REMAIN, ALBEIT TEMPORARILY.

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