717
CONFIDENTIAL
GRSASOA
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 2502007 HONG KONG AND HANOI
FM F C O 2422002 MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 323 OF 24 MAY
AND TO HANOI
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
Hkk 2431
RECEIVED
TRO. 51
DESK INDEX
по
73.5
51
(739)
HONGKONG TELNO 633: VICTNAMESE REFUGEES.
CORTAZZI SUMMONED VIETNAMESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES THIS EVENING.
CALL TOOK PLACE AT 2200 HOURS AS CHARGE COULD NOT BE FOUND EARLIER.
2. USING THE FORM OF WORDS SUGGESTED IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 2
CF TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE CORTAZZI DEMANDED THAT THE VIETNAMESE
AUTHORITIES DE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED AND STEPS DE TAKEN TO STOP
THIS RACKET IN HUMAN LIVES.
3. CORTAZZI ALSO SPOKE AS SUGGESTED IN PARA 3 AND PROTESTED STRONGLY
ABOUT THE CORRUPT, INHUMAN AND EXTORTIONATE ACTIONS WHICH HAD SHOCKED OPINION IN BRITAIN. IN THIS CONTEXT HE DREW ATTENTION TO THE SPEECH IN THE LORDS EARLY ON 23 MAY BY THE MARQUIS OF HEADFORT.
HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE NEW BRITISH GOVERNMENT TOOK A VERY
SERIOUS VIEW OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES.
HONG KONG HAD ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 34,000 REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM
OVER 4000 HAD ARRIVED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. THIS WAS AN INTOLERABLE
SITUATION. CORTAZZI CONCLUDED BY DEMANDING THAT THE CHARGE SHOULD. REPORT THIS PROTEST IMMEDIATELY TO HIS GOVERNMENT:
4. THE CHARGE VIGOROUSLY DENIED CORTAZZI'S ALLEGATIONS AND REFUSED
EITHER TO ACCEPT THE PROTEST OR TO REPORT THE HOUSE OF LORDS
STATEMENT. HE ASSERTED THAT THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES HAD BEHAVED
IN A HUMANE AND LIBERAL FASHION COOPERATING WITH THE UNHCR OVER AN
ORDERLY EXODUS FROM VIETNAM. HE DECLARED THAT ALLEGATIONS OF
CORRUPT PRACTICES BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND DISHONEST CONNIVANCE
IN THE EXODUS OF REFUGEES WERE LIES.
CONFIDENTIAL
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