TNAG-1185-FCO40-1487-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 19

TELEL TER TO BANGKOK

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ha 243/17

TELELETTER

FROM C M J SEGAR, SOUTH-EAST ASIAN DEPARTMENT

FA 243/17

FOLLOWING FOR 3 J GOMERSALL ESO, WASHINGTON

S

BANGKOK

HONG KONG M

UKMIS GENEVA

UKMIS NEW YORK

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INDEX

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INDOCHINESE REFUGEES: US POLICY, CALL RY AMBASSADOR

H EUGENE DOUGLAS ON SEAD, 22 NOVEMBER

1. WE WERE REMINDED OF YOUR RECENT EXCHANGE OF CORRESPONDENCE WITH MCLAREN IN HONG KONG ABOUT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES (YOUR TELELETTERS OF 8 AND 14 OCTOBER) WHEN AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS, THE US COORDINATOR OF REFUGEE AFFAIRS, CALLED ON KEVIN BURNS HERE ON MONDAY AFTERNOON (JUST ONE OF A SERIES OF CALLS IN LONDON, INCLUDING MR ONSLOW, HOME OFFICIALS AND, I GATHER, THE BRITISH REFUGEE COUNCIL).

2. DOUGLAS SEEMED CHIEFLY CONCERNED TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF, IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS THE MAN WHO REALLY COUNTED IN THE ADMINIS- TRATION ON ANY AND ALL REFUGEE QUESTIONS, AND TO LAY DOWN THE LAW IN THE US ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES (AND EXPECTATIONS) ON

I THINK YOU REFUGEES IN GENERAL AND S E ASIA IN PARTICULAR. WILL HAVE SEEN A COPY OF PETER MARSHALL'S RECORD OF HIS ENCOUN-

SUFFICE IT TER WITH DOUGLAS ON 26 MAY (HIS MINUTE OF 1 JUNE).

TO ADD THAT DOUGLAS CLAIMS LONG PERSONAL ASSOCIATION WITH SE ASIA - HE WAS THERE AT TET, SHOT DOWN IN LAOS AND SAYS HE OWES HIS LIFE TO THE HMONG - AND KNOWS THE THAI LEADERS (PREM

SIDDHI, PRASONG) OF OLD.

3. ACCORDING TO DOUGLAS, MUCH OF THE IMPETUS BEHIND TIGHTER AMERICAN CRITERIA: LOW QUOTAS AND INDEED THEIR SEARCH FOR LONG- TERM SOLUTIONS TO REFUGEE PROBLEMS, COMES FROM THE PRESIDENT'S

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