TNAG-0897-FCO40-1107-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 21

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1729

528.82

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F1 KUALA LUMPUR 2832222 SEP 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 352 OF 28 SEPTEMBER INFO PRIORITY GOV HONG KONG HANCİ

HKK 243

SINGAPORE

INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON UKMIS GENEVA CANBERRA PEKING

BANGKOK AY JAKARTA MANILA OTTAWA UKMIS NEW YORK

HONG KONG TELNO 1336 TO FCO: REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM : NEW DEPARTURE TRENDS.

(718)

1. UNHCR SAY THAT SEPTEMBER ARRIVALS IN MALAYSIA (ABOUT 75%) ARE UP ON AUGUST. OFF THE RECORD THEY SAY OVER 400 HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO LAND. ALL HAVE ARRIVED IN SMALL BOATS AND ARE MOSTLY ETHNIC VIETNAMESE. UNHCR REPORT A LARGE INCREASE (350UT 1000 ALSO ETHNIC VIETNAMESE) IN REFUGEES PICKED UP FROM SMALL BOATS BY SHIPS CALLING AT SINGAPORE.

2. UNHCR IMPRESSION IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN OVERALL INCREASE ÎN SMALL BOAT DEPARTURES BUT THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THESE INVOLVED PAYMENTS TO VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS.

HUNT

FILES

SEAD

I & GD

UND

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE

FED

PUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D

PS

FS/LPS

PS/MR BLAKER

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR CORTAZZI

PER MURRAY

MR STRATTON

LORD NG INOX

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