CR 850
IMMEDIATE
DESKBY FCO 130800Z
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 130740Z
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY FCO 130800Z
CONFIDENTIAL
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51
14 JUL:976
10K/(243/5V1
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 702 OF 13 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
PRIORITY PEKING Ranacon
INFO SAVING HANOI.
YOUR TELNO. 539:
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
NIXI
REF.
IT IS VITAL THAT THIS CASE IS NOT CONSIDERED IN ISOLATION. OUR HANDLING OF THE 'AVA'' WILL BE JUDGED AS A PRECEDENT IN A WIDE
RANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE GRANTING OF PERMISSION FOR THESE 99 TO LAND IN HONG KONG WOULD :--
(A) ENCOURAGE FUTURE ATTEMPTS BY MANY MORE VIETNAMESE AND SOUTH-EAST
ASIANS TO ENTER HONG KONG ILLEGALLY:
(B) RESULT IN HONG KONG BEING SEEN AS A SAFE DUMPING GROUND' BY
EVERY SHIP'S MASTER WHO PICKS UP VIETNAMESE AND CAMBODIAN REFUGEES
IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA:
(C) CAUSE THE UNITED NATIONS AND COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES
TO CONCEIVE OF HONG KONG AS A USEFUL HOLDING CENTRE FOR ARRANGING THE RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM ANYWHERE IN THE AREA:
D) PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO HONG KONG FISHERMEN TO CARRY ON A PROFITABLE BUSINESS CONVEYING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES TO HONG KONG :
ONG RUN
(E) IN THE LONG RUN SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZE THE SUCCESSFUL RUNNING ·
OF OUR IMMIGRATION POLICY WITH CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL
ENTI
/2. EVEN