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Hong Kong have said that they are prepared, in the last resort, to admit the refugees temporarily, provided they are given firm under- takings that they will be resettled elsewhere. The Governor of Hong Kong seemed to accept, when he was consulted here last week, that Hong Kong might have to admit the refugees temporarily in the absence of such undertakings if there was no other way out (but that
was before it was known that the "Ava" was prepared to sail for Yokohama). Hong Kong have taken steps to ensure that conditions aboard the "Ava" are satisfactory and if it sails for Yokohama they will see that it is properly supplied for the journey.
Argument
6. Arguments in favour of the ship's sailing for Yokohama (and against Hong Kong's admitting the refugees temporarily) are:
(i) that it would help to avoid the risks for Hong Kong
described in the previous paragraph. Other refugees from South East Asia would think twice before making for
Hong Kong in future;
(ii) that Hong Kong could end up having to accept more Vietnamese refugees permanently in addition to those which it has already had to take;
(iv)
(iii) that the Burmese, having been brought to face up to the
problem, would be relieved of any responsibility for the
future of the refugees. This would be inconsistent with our interest in encouraging other countries in the region to co-operate over the problem of Vietnamese refugees;
that the Japanese are in a better position than Hong Kong to admit the refugees temporarily and the possibility of their being prepared to admit those on the "Ava" should not be entirely excluded (it was the UNHCR who first suggested that a possible solution might be for the refugees to stay on the "Ava" until she reached Yokohama);
and
(v)
that the Americans have not ruled out taking refugees
from the "Ava" once she reaches Yokohama. The fact that the French (having interviewed the refugees on board the "Ava") have undertaken, over the weekend, to accept
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