9P5189
IMMEDIATE
EN CLAIR.
FM WASHINGTON 1921482
UNCLASSIFIED
DESKBY 200900Z
HKR243/528/1
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TENLNO. 2475 OF 19/7.
INFO HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA AND INFO SAVING HANO!.
MIPT: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
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VE REQUEST THAT YOU SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING APPEAL TO YOUR GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS TO THE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG:
THE UNDERSIGNED VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH LONG STANDING HISTORY OF CONCERN FOR REFUGEES HAVE BEEN WATCHING WITH DEEP DISTRESS AND DISBELIEF THE NEWS REPORTS INDICATING THAT HONG KONG IS BARRING INDOCHINESE REFUGEES WHO HAVE ESCAPED IN UNSEAWORTHY VESSELS FROM LANDING IN THE CROWN COLONY. WHILE THIS POLICY DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LIMITED TO SAYLUM SEEKERS IN HONG KONG WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS APPEAL TO YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR GOVERNMENT'S TRADITIONA CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REFUGEE PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS USUALLY REFER TO REFUGEES PICKED UP BY PASSING MERCHANTMEN WHILE THEIR SMALL CRAFTS WERE IN GRAVE PERIL. THE INABILITY OF CARGO SHIPS TO LAND REFUGEES RESCUED IN OPEN SEA ALREADY HAVE PRODUCED DISASTEROUS RESULTS, THE PRESS NOW REPORTS THAT CAPTAINS OF FREIGHTERS OFTEN IGNORE RAGPAG BOATS EVEN WIEN THE REFUGEES ARE WAVING DESPERATELY. SINCE THEIR IS NO PARELLEL TO THIS SITUATION IN OUR MEMORTY WE CANNOT BELIEVE THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ARE IMPLEMENTING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF YOUR GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY REFUSE 99 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES PICKED UP BY THE BURMESE OWNED SS 'AVA'. WE PLEAD WITH YOU TO CLARIFY THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR A POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM FOR SHIPWRECKED REFUGEES.
FCO PASS SAVING HANOI.
RAMSBOTH AM
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HKD (3)
UND
NEWS.D
SEA
FED
NAD
PSILORD GORONWY- ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
MR
KIDD
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
6 GRAFTON. ST