SECRET
JEVALI
HKK 243/1
RECENSO
12
FM HONG KONG 249852Z MAY 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 633 OF 24 MAY
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, HANOI, VISTNAHUE MAFUGEES •
DLXX ANDOX
SOURCES THAT ON 21"MAY
1. WE HAVE INFORMATION FROM RELIABLE SOURCES THAT ON 24 MAY THERE WERE OFF THE MEKONG DELTA EAST OF VUNGTAU TWO SHIPS,
seet
2. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENCE AND GENERAL PURPOSE OF THESE TWO SHIPS WAS UNKNOWN TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES AND WE THINK THAT THIS ALONE PROVIDES GROUNDS FOR REPRESENTATIONS TO THE VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON. UNHCR SHOULD, WE SUGGEST, BE INFORMED ALSO IN VIEW OF THE REQUEST
MADE BY HIM IN THE PAST FOR ANY REPORTS WE RECEIVED ON THIS SUBJECT.
WE
SUGGEST A FORM OF WORDS: ''WE UNDERSTAND THAT WITHIN THE LAST . WEEK TWO SIZEABLE SHIPS WERE STANDING BY OFF THE MOUTH OF THE MEKONG READY TO LOAD SOME THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES''.
3. IN ADDITION, FIRST REPORTS FROM THE REFUGEES PICKED UP BY THE SIBONGA INDICATE THAT THEY PAID A TOTAL OF 4,000 TAELS OF GOLD TO VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS BEFORE THEY LEFT. THIS TOO IS INFORMATION WHICH WE SUGGEST MIGHT BE USED IN SPEAKING TO THE VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVE AND ALSO CONVEYED
MACLEHOSE
PY
THIS IS A THE UNHCR. THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNTIL
UNDER FOI
EXEMPTION No.3.8.......
PS/LPS
FILES
IK & GD
PS
UND
SEAD
FED
SAD
EID (E)
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D MVD
PS/MR HURD
PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
SIR A DUFT
SIR A PARSONS AR CORTAZZI MR LEAHY
MR MURRAY
REPETITION TO HANOI REFEARED FOR DEPARTMENTAL DECISION, REPEATED AS REQUESTED TO OTHER POSTS
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
RLEIGH
MR BURLEIGH .
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT
HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
SECRET
LONDON
MA ME QEE. FAO ODM
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