TNAG-0891-FCO40-1101-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 77

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1645 OF 22 JUNE 79.

INFORMATION VILA, PARIS, HONG KONG (FOR

SINGAPORE AND SUVA.

NEW HEBRIDES: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

8727/6.

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1. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MEMBER OF THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY (MRS JACQUELINE BONG WRIGHT, WIFE OF LACEY WRIGHT, WHO INCIDENTALLY IS ITALIAN COUNTRY AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, STATE DEPARTMENT) THAT MR MICHAEL OLIVER HAS TOLD THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF VIETNAMESE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE US (NAVA) THAT WITH OR WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL OR SUPPORT HE INTENDS TO BUY OR CHARTER A VESSEL TO TRANSPORT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM MALAYSIA TO NEW HEBRIDES TERRITORY IN JIMMY STEVENS' CONSTITUENCY.

2. IN SPITE OF THE FRENCH EMBASSY'S AND OUR LETTERS TO MRS WRIGHT (HOWARTH'S LETTER OF 24 APRIL TO RIDGWAY SPD REFERS) EXPLAINING · THE NH POSITION ON THE STEVENS PROPOSAL, AND OF WHICH NAVA ARE AWARE NAVA'S REACTION HAS BEEN MIXED AND SOME VIETNAMESE IN WASHINGTON

HAVE SAID THEY WILL HELP OLIVER. MRS WRIGHT SAYS ANY REFUGEES WHO MAKE IT TO THE NEW HEBRIDES WILL BE EXPLOITED AS SLAVE LABOUR

BY OLIVER ON HIS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

3. THE FRENCH EMBASSY (GERARD JULIENNE, TO WHOM OLIVER HAS ALSO SPOKEN), STATE DEPARTMENT NEW HEBRIDES DESK (HARLAN LEE), AND STATE REFUGEE OFFICE (HANK CUSHING) ARE AWARE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT. CUSHING WILL SPEAK TO HIS CONTACTS IN THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CCMM- UNITY TO TRY TO DEFUSE OLIVER, BUT THIS PROPOSAL MAY GATHER MOMENTUM. (GRATEFUL FOR REPLY TO OUR TEL NO 1491 OF 13

JUNE

X WINE ABOUT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BELIZE.)

JAY

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COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST]

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PS PS/LPS PS/MR.HURD PS/R.BLAKER

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SIR A DUFF SIR A PARSONS

MR. CORTAZZI

MR. LEAHY

MR. MURRAY

COPIES TO:

1098A

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON

MR.WOODFIELD)

MR.BURLEIGH

MR.HILLARY MR.BIRT

MR.V.MCGEE

CONFIDENTIAL

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

HOME OFFICE LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON.

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