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36
FK F C O 151835Z
RESTRICTED
TO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 190 OF 15 JULY.
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF DEPARTMENT WAS SENT TO UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 134 OF 14 JULY.
TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NUMBER 134 OF 14 JULY AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG PRIORITY RANGOON PEKING ROUTINE HANOI
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. REUTER HAVE REPORTED FROM GENEVA THAT THE UN HCR HAS ASKED BRITAIN TO ALLOW 99 SHIP-BORNE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES TO ENTER HONG KONG WHILE THEY AWAIT RESETTLEMENT. THE REFORT STATES THAT HONG KONG HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT THE REFUGEES AND THAT THE COMMISSIONER WANTED TO GAIN TEMPORARY ENTRY INTO HONG KONG FOR THE VIETNAMESE INCLUDING A NEW-BORN BABY WHILE HIS OFFICE AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS APPROACH VARICUS COVERNMENTS TO RESETTLE THEM.
2. NEWS DEPARTMENT ARE TAKING THE LINE THAT:-
(A) WE CONSIDER THAT THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON THE SHIP ARE A BURMESE RESPONSIBILITY
(B) THE SHIP HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO DOCK BRIEFLY IN HONG KONG IN ORDER TO PICK UP SUPPLIES. THE MOTHER THE NEW-BORN BABY AND ANOTHER
WOMAN WITH AN INJURED FOOT VERE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK AND ARE BEING
CARED FOR BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES:
(C) THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS OFFERED TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE BURMESE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG TO AIR-LIFT THE REFUGEES TO BURMA.
3. UNATTRIBUTABLY WE ARE DRAWING ATTENTION TO HONG KONG'S PARTICULAR IMMIGRATION PROBLES AND MAKING THE POINT THAT THESE 39 VIETNAMESE
REUGEES CANNOT BE CONSIDERED IN ISOLATION.
CROSLAND