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FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 808
OF 25094OZ FEBRUARY 88
INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, BANGKOK INFO ROUTINE MANILA
HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
YOUR TELNO 3108
F215
-
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:
CONTACTS WITH ASEAN
RESPONSES ARE COMING IN TO OUR ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS WITH CONSULAR REPRESENTATIVES OF ASEAN COUNTRIES IN HONG KONG DURING DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
2. THE THAIS ARE PARTICULARLY KEEN FOR DISCUSSIONS AS A RESULT OF THEIR CURRENT PROBLEMS WITH VIETNAMESE REFUGEES BEING FERRIED TO THAILAND FROM CAMBODIA (BEAN'S TELELETTER OF 17 FEBRUARY). THEY HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO AN HKG REPRESENTATIVE TO VISIT BANGKOK AND HAVE OFFERED A MEETING WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL.
3. THE INDONESIAN AND PHILIPPINE CONSULS-GENERAL HAVE INDICATED THAT THEIR AUTHORITIES WOULD WELCOME SOMEONE FROM HONG KONG VISITING JAKARTA AND MANILA TO DISCUSS THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE ISSUE.
4. THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT HAS ASKED FOR MORE DETAILS OF PROPOSED DISCUSSIONS AND WE ARE SUPPLYING FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND ISSUES OF CONCERN TO HONG KONG AS A PLACE OF FIRST ASYLUM.
5. SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT.
6. WE PROPOSE, SUBJECT TO YOUR AND RELEVANT POSTS' VIEWS, ΤΟ SUGGEST VISITS INITIALLY TO BANGKOK, JAKARTA AND MANILA IN THIRD AND FOURTH WEEK OF MARCH. THE DISCUSSIONS WOULD BE EXPLORATORY AND AT OFFICIAL LEVEL, BUT COULD BE FOLLOWED UP LATER BY A HIGHER LEVEL DELEGATION FROM HONG KONG IF THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THIS WOULD PROVE USEFUL. THE HKG REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE NIGEL FRENCH, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUGEE MATTERS.
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