TNAG-0885-FCO40-1095-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 76

WIT

CR 240

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 1889GAZ

CONFIDENTAL

FNANGKOK 189619Z MAY

TO MEDIATE FCO

TEL NO 317 OF 18 MAY 79

FOR SEAD

INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES

HKK243/1

Saiseid.

INDEX

18 MAY 1979

OSCIVER

PA

685

NO

828.5

REF OUR TEL NO SIC U2B OF 17 MAY: JAKARTA TEL NO 132 AND DUGGAN'S LETTER TO MACLAREN OF 16 MÁY.

670

1. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE DEFENCE ATTACHE'S RECENT CONVERSATION WITH GEN ARD AND FROM OTHER OFFICIAL CONTACTS THAT THE THAIS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY ANGRY ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM OF THEIR POLICY TOWARDS KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES.

2. EADS' ARTICLE IN THE OBSERVER AND OTHER BRITISH MEDIA COVERAGE PRESENT A HARROWING PICTURE BUT COULD DAMAGE PRESENT EXCELLENT UK/THAI RELATIONSHIPS, AS INSTRUCTED, WE SHALI. MAKE IT CLEAR IN OUR INFORMAL CONTACTS THAT WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. NEVERTHELESS, WE CANNOT BUT SYMPATHISE WITH THE THAI PREDICAMENT IN THIS APPALLING SITUATION AND SHALL NEED TO EXERCISE CONTINUING CARE IN HANDLING THIS SENSITIVE ISSUE. ANY HINT OF DIRECT CRITICISM OF THAI POLICIES BY HMC COULD ALMOST CERTAINLY PREJUDICE ANY SUBSEQUENT LOBBYING HERE FOR THE USE OF ASEAN PROCESSING CENTRES BY HONG KONG.

+

3. ACCORDING TO LATEST PRESS REPORTS, WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE ACCURATE, A FURTHER 3,003 KAMPUCHEANS MAINLY ETHNIC CHINESE

CROSSED INTO THAILAND YESTERDAY (17 MAY), IN ARANYAPRATHET BORDER AREA. THIS BRINGS THE NUMBER THAT HAVE CROSSED DURING THE LAST WEEK IN THE AREA TO ABOUT 14,500. MILITARY HAVE ORDERS TO PUSH BACK ALL OF THESE REFUGEES BUT THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY PRESENT PROBLEMS.

GORING-MORRIS

FILES

SEAD

HK & GD

PS

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

OND

TED

SAD

EID (E)

PS/IPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR BURLEIGH.

HOME OFFICE

SIR A PARSONS

MR BIRT

MR CORTAZZI MR LEAHY

FUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D MVD

MR MURRAY

LONDON

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

HOME OFFICE LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON

CONFIDEN MAL

MR MC GER FAQ DEPT

DOM