TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 183

3. WHILE NO DOUBT HONG KONG'S POLICY IS THE MOST HUMANE IN THE AREA, THE COLONY IS COMING TO BE SEEN ALSO AS THE SOFTEST

TOUCH. THERE MAY BE OTHER HUEY FONGS, BUT OUR REAL WORRY IS THE STREAM OF SMALL BOATS EITHER COMING DIRECT OR MORE OFTEN RE-DIRECTED AND ASSISTED BY CHINA OR MACAU. THE MONTHLY RATE OF INTAKE BY THIS MEANS WAS ABOUT 650, 1200 AND 2000 IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY (TO 26TH) RESPECTIVELY. WE EXPECT IT TO DOUBLE OR TREBLE IN APRIL/MAY WITH THE MONSOON, RELAXED VIETNAMESE POLICY, AND FEAR OF ETHNIC CHINESE IN VIETNAM OF WORSENING SINO/VIETNAMESE RELATIONS. NO DOUBT THE SAME SORT OF THING IS

HAPPENING IN MALAYSIA AND THE PHILIPPINES, AND THE POSITION IN THAILAND IS ALREADY DAUNTING.

4. IF WE ARE TO AVOID A TOTAL BREAKDOWN IN HUMANE TREATMENT OF

THESE PEOPLE BY PERIPHERAL COUNTRIES A NEW APPROACH IS NEEDED :-

A. BECAUSE OF 2(A) ABOVE SOME CENTRAL COLLECTION POINT IN THE AREA TO WHICH ALL NEW (LAST WORD UNDERLINED COULD BE SENT

ARRIVALS

AUTOMATICALLY IS URGENTLY NEEDED. OTHERWISE THEY WILL SIMPLY BE DRIVEN AWAY BY PERIPHERAL COUNTRIES AND THE NORMAL LAWS OF SEA RESCUE WILL BE DISREGARDED (BOTH ARE ALREADY HAPPENING).

B. THIS WOULD GIVE TIME :-

(1) FOR POTENTIAL HOST COUNTRIES TO WORK OUT RECEPTION PLANS

COMMENSURATE WITH THE PROBLEM, AND

(11) ALSO FOR SUFFICIENTLY EFFECTIVE AND CONTROLLED PROCEDURES FOR DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM TO BE WORKED OUT BY THE UNHCR AND VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO DISSUADE WOULD-BE EMIGRANTS FROM RESORTING TO PRESENT IRREGULAR METHODS.

5. THE ABOVE IS ONLY A SUGGESTION, BUT SOME NEW PLAN IS

CALLED FOR, AND I WONDER IF CONFIDENTIAL ANGLO/AMERICAN DISCUSSIONS

WOULD NOT BE THE BEST WAY TO LAUNCH IT ?

6. IF A FULLER BRIEF THAN WE HAVE ALREADY GIVEN ON THE STORY OF THE

HUEY FONG PASSENGERS WOULD HELP, THIS COULD BE TELEGRAPHED, THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE TO BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL SINCE THE

INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

MACLEHOSE

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