CONFIDENTIAL
see minute below
Mr Larmour PS/Lord Gorony-Roberts
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
Problem
M.J Keefe
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with the cause
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proposed it to some
Act. 267.
1. Should the Burmese ship "M.V. Ava", which has been lying off Hong Kong with 90-odd Vietnamese refugees aboard since 7 July, be allowed to sail for Yokohama or should Hong Kong admit the refugees temporarily while arrangements are made for their resettlement elsewhere? The "Ava" will probably be ready to sail in the next 24 hours or so and a decision is required urgently.
Background
2.
Lord Goronwy-Roberts approved the recommendation in my submission Flag of 13 July that the Burmese Government should be asked to assume
(24) responsibility for the refugees. In the event, the Burmese have
Flag B (92)
declined to co-operate in implementing Hong Kong's suggestion that the refugees should be air-lifted to Rangoon, where the UNHCR could have been expected to meet the cost of their stay and to arrange their eventual resettlement. Instead, the Burmese have evidently concluded that the only immediate alternative is for the "Ava" to go to Yokohama, her next scheduled port of call, in the hope that the Japanese may admit the refugees temporarily. The Japanese attitude has not been encouraging, through they did recently admit a much smaller group of refugees on assurances from the UNHCR that they would look after them and arrange for their resettlement. There has been a report in the Burmese press that on arrival in Yokohama the refugees may be transferred to another Burmese ship. This could mean that the refugees might eventually be returned to Vietnam though the Vietnamese have apparently indicated that they are not prepared to take back the refugees. (Tokyo telegram no. 654)
3. The Americans consider that since Hong Kong was the "Ava"'s first scheduled port of call after picking up the refugees, they should be admitted there temporarily. The Americans are particularly concerned at the risk that ships' masters will not be prepared to pick up refugees found at sea unless they can be assured of
CONFIDENTIAL