CONFIDENTIAL
GR 650
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
RY NO. 51
26 JUL:976
FM HONG KONG 2389307 AKCK 2√3/10/1
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY FCO 231100Z
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 735 OF 23 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON AND UKMIS GENEVA. PRIORITY TOKYO, RANGOON, KUALA LUMPUR AND PEKING,
INFO SAVING HANOI.
(64)
LACT
80
NOXI
REF.
MY TEL NO. 722 AND RANGOON TELNO. 116:
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES,
83)
THE 'AVA' ENTERED PORT ON 22 JULY, PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT SHE WILL NOT BE READY TO SAIL UNTIL MONDAY, 26 JULY. HONG KONG RED CROSS AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAVE CHECKED LIVING CONDITIONS ABOARD SHIP AND HAVE REPORTED FAVOURABLY. THE BURMESE CONSULATE-GENERAL AND THE AGENTS FOR THE 'AVA' HAVE GIVEN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WRITTEN ASSURANCE THAT THE VESSEL WILL SAIL AFTER UNLOADING CARGO FROM HONG KONG FOR YOKOHAMA WITH
ALL 99 VIETNAMESE ON BOARD.
2. DESPITE EARLIER ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE HOPE THAT THE U.S. MIGHT TAKE UP TO 39 REFUGEES, U.S. CONSUL-GENERAL HAS NOW REITERATED THAT THE PROBLEM OF INDOCHINESE REFUGEES ARRIVING BY SHIP MUST BE DEALT WITH ''ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS AND THAT HE WILL NOT TAKE ANY STEPS TOWARDS RESETTLEMENT OF ANYONE IN THE U.S. UNTIL:
i
(A) HONG KONG UNCONDITIONALLY LANDS THE REFUGEES AND UNDERTAKES TO GRANT THEM TWO-YEAR RE-ENTRY TO HONG KONG IF THE U.S. ACCEPTS
THEM UNDER P.7 PROGRAMME:
AND
B) THE UNHCR HAS MADE IT CLEAR E.G. BY AN APPEAL TO GOVERNMENTS THAT THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE LEFT SOLELY TO THE AMERICANS AND MUST BE
SEEN TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
CONFIDENTIAL
130