TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 147

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FM THE HAGUE 300715Z MAY 79

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

to

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 129 OF 30 MAY

FOLLOWING FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. LORD CARRINGTON RAISED THIS AT THE END OF THE QUADRIPARTITE

DINNER. THE REFUGEE SITUATION HAD DEVELOPED MORE SERIOUSLY THAN

ANYONE HAD ANTICIPATED. OUR INFORMATION FROM HANOI SUGGESTED THAT

THE VIETNAMESE WANTED TO REMOVE ABOUT A MILLION NEW REFUGEES FROM

THE COUNTRY QUICKLY. THERE WAS A LACK OF INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

OF THE SHEER SCALE OF THE PROBLEM, THE AMERICANS AND FRENCH HAD DONE.

MUCH: BUT MOST COUNTRIES HAD DONE NOTHING. MORE DRAMATIC ACTION WAS

NEEDED, PARTICULARLY BY THE UN.

2. M. FRANCOIS PONCET SAID THAT THE UN WERE ONLY THE MIDDLE MEN.

WE NEEDED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AT ITS SOURCE BY INTERNATIONAL MORAL PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE, THE FRENCH THEMSELVES WOULD SPEAK TO THE VIETNAMESE. THE SCANDINAVIANS, AMONGST OTHERS, SHOULD BE

ASKED TO DO MORE.

3. MR VANCE SAID THAT THE AMERICANS HOPED TO INCREASE THEIR INTAKE FROM 7000 TO 13000 A MONTH BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THEY WOULD ALSO

PUT PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE TO REGULATE THE FLOW: ON THE JAPANESE (AT THE TOKYO SUMMIT) TO HELP FUND THENEW

INDONESIAN REFUGEE PROCESSING CENTRE: AND ON THE RUSSIANS (AT THE US/SOVIET SUMMIT) TO TALK TO THE VIETNAMESE, HE AGREED

THAT THE SOUTH AMERICANS SHOULD BE CALLED UPON TO DO SOMETHING.

14. LORD

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