TNAG-0890-FCO40-1100-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 51

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human rights abuses, and that we were not supporting that

regime. We stressed, however, that even that regime's unparalleled

crimes would not justify a Vietnamese military violation of

Kampuchean sovereignty and replacement of the government by

force. We urged that the dispute be settled peacefully.

this regard, we repeated that Vietnam's willingness to follow

policies supportive of peace and stability in the region and

its attitudes and actions toward its neighbors constituted an

important factor influencing our ability to proceed toward

And, we expressed deep

normalization. We also asked for clarification of the implica-

tions of the November 1 SRV-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and

Cooperation in light of previous Vietnamese assurances that they would follow an "independent" foreign policy and never allow

foreign bases on their territory.

concern over the growing refugee exodus from Vietnam, including

reliable reports that Vietnamese officials were forcing refugees

to pay bribes to arrange their departure, the resulting costs

in human suffering and lives, and the massive burdens imposed

upon other Southeast Asian countries. We noted that the U.S.

did not want to see emigration from Vietnam cease but suggested

that a more humane approach which made provision for regularized

departures at a rate causing less hardship and loss of life

would be in the interest of all concerned.

4

The Vietnamese responded that their treaty with Moscow

was a natural consequence of the long friendship between the

Soviet and Vietnamese peoples, that Vietnamese attachment