IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM RANGOON 091330Z JUL
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 091438Z
CONFIDENTIAL
(20)
JOP COPY
श
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 104 OF 9 JULY
INFO HONG KONG, TOKYO, PEKING, HANOI,
VIENTIANE
HONG KONG TELNO 694: THE AVA CASE
1.
C1
12 JUL1976
P111(243/548
FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MFA OFFICIALS SINCE RECEIPT
9
OF HONG KONG TELNO 684, IT IS CLEAR THAT BURMESE
GOVERNMENT WANTS TO EXTRICATE ITSELF FROM THIS SITUATION WITHOUT BECOMING FURTHER INVOLVED. UNDERSTANDABLY THEY
SAY MASTER OF AVA ACTED ONLY ON HUMANITARIAN
GROUNDS TO SAVE SHIPWRECKED PERSONS FROM DEATH. WHY THERE
THEREFORE SHOULD THEY AS FLAG STATE VESSEL HAVE
THRUST UPON THEM RESPONSIBILTY FOR FUTURE OF THESE
RESCUED PEOPLE,
2. SUGGESTION MADE IN HONG KONG T U R WOULD MERELY
IMPLICATE BURMESE GOVERNMENT MORE DEEPLY IN THIS PROBLEM
AND I SEE NO PROSPECT WHATSOEVER OF THEM AGREEING
TO IT.
FCO PASS ALL INFORMATION ADDRESSEES
O'BRIEN
FILES
HKD
SEAD
SAD
MR CORTAZZ/ MR MALE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
CONFIDENTIAL