6. UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, ANYTHING PICKED UP AT SEA BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THE SHIP IS REGISTERED. BY IMPLICATION, TODAY'S STATEMENT IS A REJECTION OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REQUEST THAT THE
REFUGEES BE ALLOWED TO STAY FOR PERIOD OF TIME IN HONG KONG.
7. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT BURMA IS ON GOOD TERMS WITH VIETNAM'S COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT, AND THE LAST THING THE BURMESE
AUTHORITIES WANT OR NEED ARE 99 ANTI-COMMUNIST VIETNAMESE
REFUGEES. BECAUSE OF BURMA'S GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION WITHOUT
AN ACCESSIBLY COAST LINE IT HAS BEEN SPARED THE EMBARRASSMENT
THAT OTHER SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS HAVE SUFFERED AS BATCH
AFTER BATCH OF VIETNAMESE HAVE TURNED UP. IF THE REFUGEES
WERE AIRLIFTED TO RANGOON, THEIR FATE MIGHT BE TO BE REPAT-
RIATED TO VIETNAM,
-
8. HONG KONG, ON THE OTHER HAND, WANTS TO AVOID GAINING THE REPUTATION OF BEING A SAFE HAVEN FOR VIETNAMESE FLEEING THEIR COUNTRY. A WEEK AGO, THE AUTHORITIES REFUSED TO ALLOW
A SMALL GROUP OF REFUGEES ON BOARD A SMALL BOAT TO LAND AND SENT IT ON ITS WAY TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION WITH SOME FRESH WATER AND FOOD.
9. THE AMERICANS MIGHT BE ABLE TO CUT THE KNOT IF THEY AGREE
TO TAKE ALL THE REFUGEES AS THEY DID IN EFFECT WITH A SHIP- LOAD THAT SAILED INTO HONG KONG LAST YEAR JUST AFTER THE FINAL COLLAPSE OF VIETNAM. BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO THAT IN THIS CASE. MEANWHILE THE 99 WAIT AT SEA WHILE THE GOVERNMENTS
AND AGENCIES CONCERNED MANOEUVRE TO SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY
FROM ONE TO ANOTHER.
CRO SL, AND
FILES
HKD (3)
UN D
NEWS. D
SEAD
COPIES
то
MR ST. KIDD,
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
6
GRAFTON ST
LONDON
FED
NAM'D
PS/ LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS.
MR CORTAZ.ZI
2