TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 140

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DISCUSSIONS ON THE TERMINATION OF THE "ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE OUTFLOW''. MOCHTAR SAID THAT HE HAD TOLD THE VIETNAMESE AMBASS- ADOR THAT THE REFUGEE PROBLEM HAD BECOME CRITICAL SINCE THAILAND AND MALAYSIA'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ANY MORE REFUGEES. MOCHTAR TOLD JOURNALISTS THAT VIETNAM SHOULD PROVE ITSELF WORTHY OF THE PROMISE TO HALT THE OUTFLOW OF ITS CITIZENS AND TO AVOID CREATING DIFFICULTIES FOR OTHER COUNTRIES. HE ADDED THAT INDONESIA

HAD RECEIVED NO REPLY FROM VIETNAM TO HER EARLIER REPRESENTATIONS (JAKARTA TELNO 167).

5. I SAW MOCHTAR BRIEFLY AT A RECEPTION LAST NIGHT (12 JUNE) AND SAID THAT I WISHED FOR A VERY EARLY APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE OF 31 MAY TO WALDHEIM (YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 87). MOCHTAR READILY AGREED TO SEE ME BEFORE THE WEEKEND AND APPEARED TO WELCOME THE PRIME MINISTER'S INITIATIVE. I WILL REPORT THE OUTCOME AS SOON AS MY APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN SQUEEZED INTO HIS PROGRAMME.

BANGKOK PSE PASS SAVING TO HANOI VIA VIENTIANE.

O'BRIEN

FILES SEAD

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

NAM D SAD

EID (E)

PUSD

OID

IPD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST]

NEWS D

M & VD

PS PS/IPS

PS/MR.HURD PS/MR, BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

SIR A PARSONS MR.CORTAZZI

MR. LEAHY MR.MURRAY

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE LONDON

MR.WOODFIELD

MR. BURLEIGH

MR.HILLARY

MR.BIRT

MR.V.MCGEE

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