TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 146

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CONFIDENTIAL FM SINGAPORE

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 333

OF 140755Z JUNE 88

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

Y OUR TELNO 250 TO BANGKOK: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:

CHANGE OF POLICY

1. ACTION TAKEN ON 14 JUNE BY HEAD OF CHANCERY WITH DIRECTOR FOR SOUTH EAST ASIA, LOW CHOON MING.

2. LOW COMMENTED THAT THE SINGAPORE AUTHORITIES WOULD WELL UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THIS DECISION. HE UNDERTOOK TO BRIEF HIS MINISTERS AND OTHER RELEVANT SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. HE WOULD DRAW ATTENTION PARTICULARLY TO THE REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT (POINT K OF YOUR TELNO 133 TO ATHENS) AND FOR HELP IN CHANGING VIETNAMESE POLICIES (POINT M OF TUR). LOW ADDED THAT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR SUBJECTS DISCUSSED AT THE RECENT ASEAN SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING IN BANGKOK AND WOULD FIGURE PROMINENTLY IN DISCUSSIONS AT THE ASEAN MINISTERIAL MEETING IN EARLY JULY.

PIKE

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

57

ΜΑΙΝ

57

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

NEWS DEPT

LEGAL ADVISERS

PS

PS/MRS

CHALKER

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

7.

N N N N

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