TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 114

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 360

DESKBY 05080OZ

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 011958Z MAY 79

TO IMMEDIATE LISBON

TELEGRAM NO 71 OF 1 JUNE

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG FOR GOVERNOR

NEW YORK UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON

HKK2431

PA

RECEIVED PERRYN NO. 51

IN

DESK OFFICER

BRASILIA ROUTINE. UKMI

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| Mob

Be

895

INFO SAVING HANOI JAKARTA BANGKOK MANTLA SINGAPORE KUALA LUMPUR

MOSCOW PARIS UKDEL BRUSSELS

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

See 982)

1. CORTAZZI SUMMONED THE PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR THIS EVENING, AFTER CUTLINEING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PRESENT CRISIS (PARA 3) HE ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO REPORT THE FOLLOWING REQUEST TO LISBON:

A. PORTUGUESE SUPPORT FOR BRITISH INITIATIVES IN THE UN (THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE TO DR WALDHEIM):

B. THE POSSIBILITY OF PORTUGAL ACCEPTING A FEW REFUGEES. (WE FULLY APPRECIATED THE ENORMITY OF THE REFUGEE INFLUX FROM ANGOLA, MOZAMBIQUE AND EAST TIMOR ) :

C. THE PORTUGUESE MIGHT USE THEIR GOOD OFFICES TO PERSUADE

BRAZIL TO ACCEPT REFUGEES:

D. THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNOR IN MACAU SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO STOP SENDING BOATS ON TO HONG KONG, WHERE THE SITUATION WAS NOW

DESPERATE:

E. THE PORTUGUESE SHOULD LOOK INTO THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES IN ARRANGING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE IN MACAU (UKMIS GENEVA TEL NO 173 OF 31 MAY REFERS).

2. CORTAZZI HANDED THE AMBASSADOR COPIES OF DR WALDHEIM'S MESSAGE TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF 24 MAY AND MRS THATCHER'S REPLY OF 31 MAY (BOTH BEING COPIED TO YOU AS RETRACTS).

3. THE AMBASSADOR WAS TOLD THAT 41,000 REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WERE CURRENTLY AWAITING RESETTLEMENT, WITH NEW REFUGEES ARRIVING AT OVER 1,000 PER DAY. OTHER SOUTH EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES HAD AL SO REACHED SATURATION POINT. THE UK BELIEVED THAT UP TO TWO THIRDS OF THOSE LEAVING VIETNAM FAILED TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION AND

WERE LOST AT SEA, THE ISSUE WAS PERHAPS THE MOST SERIOUS TRAGEDY

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