GR 500
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RIN
1
51
FM HONG KONG 27083øZ
27 JUL 1976
CONFIDENTIAL
HUG213/54/
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 748 OF 27 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, RANGOON AND TOK YO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR
ROUTINE PEKING
INFO SAVING HANOI (VIENTIANE PLEASE PASS).
YOUR TELNO. 581:
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
LAST
NEXI
97
REF.
98
103
96
THE LANDING OF THIS GROUP MAY POSE SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEMS FOR US IN FUTURE. NEVERTHELESS, WE SEE THE FORCE OF THE HUMANITARIAN ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF ALLOWING THEM TO DISEMBARK IN HONG KONG WHILE ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE TO RESETTLE THEM PERMANENTLY ELSEWHERE.
2.
IN ADOPTING THIS COURSE WE WOULD GREATLY VALUE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE AMERICANS AND UNHCR. I HOPE YOU WILL PRESS THE AMERICANS VERY STRONGLY TO TAKE ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT CHOOSE TO GO ELSEWHERE. I ALSO HOPE YOU WILL URGE THE UNHCR TO TAKE POSITIVE ACTION NOW TO HELP, BOTH BY FINDING HOMES FOR THE 'AVA' REFUGEES AND BY DEVISING A SCHEME WHEREBY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL FUTURE REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM, INCLUDING THOSE LANDING ELSEWHERE IN THIS REGION. WE HAVE NO OBJECTION IF HE WISHES TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO
HONG KONG,
3. WE WILL NOW BEGIN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO LAND THE GROUP TEMPORARILY IN HONG KONG. IT WILL BE TWO OR THREE DAYS BEFORE WE ARE READY TO LAND THEM OR TO MAKE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT. MEANWHILE, THE REFUGEES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION ON BOARD THE 'AVA' IN THE INNER HARBOUR. MORALE IS GOOD.
GS) 4. FURTHER TO MY TELNO. 743 OF 26 JULY, ALL THE REFUGEES, EXCEPT
FOR THE FAMILY GOING TO FRANCE, APPLIED TO GO TO CANADA WHEN THEY HEARD THAT A CANADIAN IMMIGRATION TEAM WOULD BE BOARDING THE 'AVA'
TODAY.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 5. IT WOULD
83
CONFIDENTIAL
5. IT WOULD HELP US IN DEALING WITH THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, FRANCE AND OTHER COUNTRIES IF WE WERE ABLE TO SAY THAT THE UK WILL SYMPATHETICALLY CONSIDER ANY REQUESTS FOR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT IN THE UK. MAY WE ANNOUNCE THIS?
6. IN VIEW OF UNHCR'S UNDERTAKING TO BEAR THE COST OF LOOKING AFTER THESE REFUGEES WHILE THEY ARE IN HONG KONG, AND IN ORDER TO UNDERLINE HIS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARRANGING PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT, WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN ASKING HIM TO ASSUME FORMAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REFUGEES ONCE THEY DISEMBARK FROM THE 'AVA'. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INSTRUCT UKMIS GENEVA TO SEEK THIS COMMITMENT. IN PRACTICAL TERMS WE THINK UNHCR WILL BE ABLE TO ARRANGE FOR CATHOLIC RELIEF AND OTHER VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO ACT ON HIS BEHALF IN ARRANGING ACCOMMODATION, ETC.
7. FOR PRACTICAL AND PRESENTATIONAL REASONS WE PARTICULARLY WANT TO AVOID OPENING UP A GOVERNMENT-RUN CAMP EITHER NOW OR FOR FUTURE GROUPS FROM VIETNAM.
8. PARA. 2(A) OF MY TELNO. 735 OF 23 JULY REFERRED TO THE AMERICAN INSISTENCE THAT WE GRANT TWO-YEAR RE-ENTRY TO HONG KONG TO ANY OF THESE VIETNAMESE GRANTED ENTRY TO THE USA UNDER THE P.7 PROGRAMME. WE SHALL BE REITERATING TO THE U.S. CONSUL-GENERAL HERE THAT IT IS QUITE INAPPROPRIATE FOR US TO GRANT RE-ENTRY TO VIETNAMESE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD PURSUE THE SAME LINE WITH WASHINGTON. WE ARE NOT AWARE THAT OTHER COUNTRIES IMPOSE SUCH A REQUIRMENT IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.
9. WHEN WE HAVE ANSWERS TO PARAS. 5 AND 6 ABOVE, AND AFTER WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR ARRANGEMENTS HERE, WE WILL INFORM YOU OF THE TIME AND TEXT OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENT AND OF THE TIME WHEN THE REFUGEES WILL DISEMBARK FROM THE 'AVA'.
MACLEHOSE
FILES:
HKD
SEAD
UND
N AM D NEWS D FED
PS
PS/LORD CORONWY ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD MR LARMOUR
MR CORTAZZI
COPIES TO:
MR RUSHFORD, LEGAL ADVISERS MR KIDD, HKGO.
6 GRAFTON ST W1. MR MCDOWALL HOME OFFICE MR BRENNAN HOME OFFICE,
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
2 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
26 JUL1975
FM HONG KONG 26064ØZ
MKCK 200/548
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP CASUje
NEXI
REF.
89
9
DESKBY 260900Z
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NO 743 OF 26 JULY
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, TOKYO, RANGOON, KUALA LUMPUR, PEKING AND VIENTIANE FOR SAVING HANOI.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 577 AND HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 735 (PARA 7): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
83
ACTING CANADIAN COMMISSIONER HAS JUST RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM OTTAWA AUTHORISING HIM TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING A NUMBER OF THE REFUGEES ON BOARD 'AVA' PROVIDED THEY COMPLY WITH THE NORMAL UNITED NATIONS DEFINITION AND ARE WILLING TO GO TO
CANADA.
2. CANADIANS WILL MAKE ENQUIRIES ON BOARD SHIP WITH THE HELP OF IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WILL PROCESS ANY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HKD (4) SEAD UND
N AM D NEWS D FED
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
MR LARMOUR
COPIES TO:
MR RUSHFORD LEGAL ADVISERS
MR K/DD HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
6 GRAFTON STREET LONDON W 1
MR MCDOWELL) HOME OFFICE
MR BRENNAN
CROYDON
LUNAR HOUSE
CONFIDENTIAL
}