IMMEDIATE
GRS 280
CYPHER CAT A
FM UKMIS GENEVA 231715Z
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TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 224 OF 23 JULY
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY TOKYO, WASHINGTON, RANGOON, INFO ROUTINE PEKING AND KUALA LUMPUR
INFO SAVING HANOI
LAS
78
MY TELNO 217 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES PERSONALLY TELEPHONED THIS MISSION THIS AFETRNOON TO EXPRESS HIS 'GREAT CONCERN** AT HONG KONG'S DECISION NOT TO ALLOW THE 'AVA'' REFUGEES TO
DISEMBARK.
2. REFERRING TO THE INFORMATION MEETING OF HIS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON 25 JUNE AND HIS EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH MR LUARD IN LONDON, SADRUDDIN SAID THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO SEND A LETTER TO GOVERNMENTS ASKING THEM TO ACCEPT QUOTAS OF REFUGEES WHO HAVE LEFT VIETNAM IN SMALL BOATS. APART FROM THE OBVIOUS HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS BEHIND THIS MOVE, HE HOPED THAT THIS LETTER WOULD PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES OF FIRST ASYLUM, SUCH AS HONG KONG, TO ALLOW SUCH REFUGEES TO LAND TEMPORARILY. AS FOR THE ''AVA'' REFUGEES, HE SAID THAT HE HAD RECEIVED INDICATIONS THAT THE FRENCH WERE CONSIDERING ACCEPTING SOME OF THESE REFUGEES AND THAT THE US MIGHT ACCEPT A ''SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER''. HE WAS PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT THE EFFECT WHICH IN HIS VIEW HONG KONG'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE **AVA** REFUGEES TO DISEMBARK MIGHT HAVE ON **NE!GHBOURING COUNTRIES'', MOREOVER, HONG KONG'S ACTION COULD HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION OF SHIPS CAPTAINS LEADING TO A REFUSAL BY SHIPS MASTERS TO PICK UP REFUGEES IN DISTRESS ON THE HIGH SEAS.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.