IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT 'A'
GPS 180
FM WASHINGTON 201551Z
CONFIDENTIAL
ECLIPSE
CONFIDENTIAL-ECLIPSE
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY NO. 51
2 1 JUL1976
DESKBY 210890Z
Lick 243/548/1
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 2489 OF 20 JUL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, RANGOON, KUALA LUMPUR, PEKING.
YOUR TELNO 1561: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
6)
HEAT
REF.
1. CUSHING (INDO-CHINA REFUGEE PROGRAMS OFFICE, DEPT. OF STATE) HAS TOLD US THAT THE US IMMIGRATION TEAM WHICH VISITED THE SS 'AVA' WAS ONLY ABLE TO CONDUCT ''PRELIMINARY'' INTERVIEWS ON BOARD. FINAL EVALUATIONS TO DETERMINE WHICH REFUGEES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY TO THE US COULD ONLY BE MADE BY A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS. THESE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE ON SHORE. NO DECISIONS ON ANY OF THE REFUGEES COULD THEREFORE BE TAKEN UNTIL THEY WERE LANDED. CUSHING SAID THERE WERE NO PLANS FOR THE IMMIGRATION TEAM TO VISIT THE
VESSEL AGAIN. WHEN ALL THE REFUGEES WERE INTERVIEWED ON DRY LAND, MORE THAN THE 39 MIGHT PROVE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY TO THE US.
2. WE SUSPECT THAT THIS IS DELIBERATE ARM-TWISTING BY THE AMERICANS,
WHO HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT THE REFUGEES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO LAND. IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, CUSHING CONFIRMED THAT US CONSIDERATION OF THE REFUGEES' ELIGIBILITY WAS EFFECTIVELY STALLED BY THE HONG KONG DECISION NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO LAND.
RAMSBOTHAM
FILES
HKD (4) SEAD
UND
FED
COPIES TO:
MR KIDD HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
6 GRAFTON ST W1
N AM D
NEWS D
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
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