TNAG-0897-FCO40-1107-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 30

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CR 483

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 243

1725

CONFIDENTIAL

A

ZANILA 276745Z SEP 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 393 OF 27 SEPTENBER

RZCENIJ M

28

DESK OFF

INDEX

INFO WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, TOKYO, PEKING,' VIENTIANE, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR) AND HANOI.

1. MURRAY DISCUSSED INDO CHINA TODAY WITH ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER

COLLANTES.

2. FAMINE RELIEF FOR CAMBODIA. COLLANTES HAD NO CONFIRMATION OF BBC REPORT THAT ICRC/UNICEF HAD AGREED WITH VIETNAMESE AND HENG SAMRIN ** AUTHORITIES'' ON DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND ON SETTING UP OFFICE IN PHNOM PENH. IF TRUE THIS WAS ENCOURAGING. THE PRESSURE ON THAILAND HAD TO BE RELIEVED. ASEANS HAD NOT CONSIDERED IMPLICATIONS OF A POSSIBLE CALL BY AGENCIES FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR A LARGE SCALE OPERATION EITHER LOGISTICALLY OR IN

OTHER WAYS.

'

3. REFUGEES. COLLANTES WAS CONVINCED THAT VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WOULD RESUME EXPORTING BOAT PEOPLE OFFICIALLY' AT END OF MONSOON (NOTE A WSSO HONG KONG TELHO 1336). THE WINDS AND CURRENTS MIGHT THEN BRING MOST OF THEN TO PHILIPPINES WHICH WOULD HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THIS INFLUX, ON REPROCESSING CENTRE MARCOS HAD TOLD UNHCR'S TRAVELLING REPRESENTATIVE BEERMANN ON 26 SEPTEMBER THAT HE NEEDED HARTLING'S IMMEDIATE DECISION ON ULUGAN BAY OR BATAAN FOR LOCATION. PHILIPPINES PREFERRED LATTER FOR FINANCIAL REASONS BUT NEVERTHELESS LOOKED FOR A LARGER CONTRIBUTION FROM JAPAN. MURRAY REPEATED OUR STRONG WISH THAT RPC SHOULD BE OPEN TO PROCESSED REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG, RECALLING THAT I HAD MENTIONED THIS YESTERDAY TO MRS MARCOS WHO HAD BEEN RECEPTIVE. COLLANTES FIRST HEDGED BY SAYING UNHCR WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SELECTING REFUGEES BUT THEN SAID FIRMLY THAT RPC WOULD BE FOR ASEAN: MALAYSIAN CAMPS NOW HAD 70,057 (HURRAY SAID HONG KONG HAD THE SAME) AND THE THAIS WERE CONSTANTLY PRESSING FOR ACTION. COLLANTES ADDED THAT U.G. NAVY COMMANDER AT SUBIC WAS PRESSING HIM TO ACCEPT 7** REFUGEES ACTIVELY** RESCUED BY U.S. SHIPS AND NOW HELD AT THE BASE. PHILIPPINES ATTITUDE WAS THAT THESE WERE THE AMERICANS BUSINESS.

4. CAMBODIA AT UN. MURRAY ASKED HOW ASEANS WOULD HANDLE THE CAMBODIA DEBATE. MARCOS HAD TOLD MINISTER OF STATE THAT WHOLE ISSUE HAD TO BE AIRED: WERE THERE ANY PLANS? COLLANTES ASSUMED

CONFIDENTIAL

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