TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 112

GR 175

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 1409392 JUN 79

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TEL NO.790 OF 14 JUNE,

109

Hkk 2431

RECEIVED

DESK O

MIDEX

ARA NO. SI

INFO PRIORITY: JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR,

ROUTINE : MANILA, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, UKMIS GENEVA,

WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, HANOI, H.K GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

OUR TELNO.783 : CHANGES OF POLICY IN MALAYSIA AND INDONESIA : EFFECTS ON HONG KONG.

1. SO AS BETTER TO ASSESS POSSIBLE REPERCUSSIONS HERE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE VIEWS OF KUALA LUMPUR AND JAKARTA ON THE LIKELY DETERMINATION AND STRICTNESS WITH WHICH NEWLY ANNOUNCED POLICY OF REFUSING ASYLUM IN THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL BE APPLIED. WE WONDER, FOR EXAMPLE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE REFUGEE BOATS MAKE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO LAND AT VARIOUS POINTS ALONG THE COAST. AND, IF THEY ARE FINALLY PUSHED OUT, WHAT IN THE OPINION OF THE AUTHORITIES, WILL THE REFUGEES THEN DO ?

2. THE MORE STRICTLY THE POLICY IS ENFORCED THE GREATER WILL BE THE INCENTIVE TO HEAD EITHER IN OUR DIRECTION OR THAT OF THE PHILIPPINES AND IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW THE POSSIBLE REACTIONS OF THE AUTHORITIES THERE.

CATER

(REPETITION TO HANOI REFERRED FOR DEPARTMENTAL DECISION, REPEATED AS

REQUESTED TO OTHER FOSTS]

FILES

SEAD

[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST]

NEWS D M & VD

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

I AM D SAD EID (E)

PUSD

OID

IPD

PS PS/LPS PS/HR.HURD PS/MR.BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF SIR A PARSONS ER.CORTAZZI

MR. LEAHY

MR. MURRAY

COPING TO:

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON

MR.WCCDFIELD

MR. BURLEIGH

MR.HILLARY MR. BIRT

MR.V.HCGEE

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

HOME OFFICE LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON.

FAO/ODA

CONFIDENTIAL