CONFIDENTIAL
121 3
MDHIAN 9554
A) WE LET THE VIETNAMESE MULL OVER THE PROPOSITIONS WHICH I PUT TO VŨ KHOAN ON 15 DECEMBER.
B) WE PREPARE A FULL REPONSE TO THE VARIOUS ALLEGATIONS MADE BY THE RETURNEES.
C) I SEEK A CALL ON VU KHOAN ON, SAY 22 DECEMBER AT WHICH I WOULD DEAL BRIEFLY WITH THE ALLEGATIONS (PERHAPS HANDING OVER A BOUT DE PAPIER), IGNORE THE SILLY POINT ABOUT SENDING BACK ANY RETURNEES WHO HAD BEEN SENT HERE BY FORCE AND SEEK TO CONCENTRATE THE VIET- NAMESE MINDS ON THE FUTURE FURTHER FLIGHTS AND POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
4. IN THE MEANTIME I AM TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE THROUGH A DISCREET CHANNEL THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER HIMSELF IS FULLY AWARE OF WHAT I CALLED ON VU KHOAN TO DISCUSS LAST WEEK.
5. I AM NOT ABLE TO COMMENT ON THE ALLEGATIONS IN YOUR TELNO 2503 TO HONG KONG. THEY ARE IN LINE WITH THOSE MADE TO ME AT THE TRANSIT CEN RE. I MIGHT POINT OUT HOWEVER THAT THERE WERE OCCASIONS DURING THE DISEMBARKATION WHEN AN EVIL MINDED PERSON COULD HAVE CLAIMED THAT FORCE WAS BEING USED EG. WHEN THE PREGNANT AND OLD LADIES WERE HELPED DOWN THE STEPS BY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS. THE VIDEO FILM WHICH WE TOOK HOWEVER MAKES IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THESE WERE INDEED INSTANCES OF HELPING HANDS BEING OFFERED AND ACCEPTED. I HAVE SHOWN THE FILM PRIVATELY TO JOURNALISTS AND TO THE AUSTRALIAN SHADOW MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION CRUDDOCK, WHO IS GENERALLY OPPOSED TO REPATRIATION) TO GOOD EFFECT I BELIEVE. COPIES OF THE FILM AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO YOU AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG BY HAND OF LOUISE FOXWELL WHO LEFT HERE YESTERDAY.
DAVIES
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
61
VIETNAMESE REPATRIATION
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
DISTRIBUTION
63
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
PAGE
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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