GRS 525
IMMEDIATE
RESTRICTED
RICEVLD IN
CYPHER CAT -A-
REGISTRY NO. 51
FROM TOKYO.
211015Z SEP
22 SEP1976
KESTRICTED.
DESKBY 211138Z
AXX 2 43 / 34\
~/.
(148
TO IMMEDIATE FCO, TELNO 849, DATED 21 SEPTEMBER 1975., REPEATED AS PRIORITY INFO TO UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, ROUTINE INFO TO SINGAPORE, OTTAWA, KUALA LUMPUR, PARIS, JAKARTA AND MANILA.
WASHINGTON TEL 3152 AND TELCON DEARLOVE/GOLDSMITH SEAD
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: MS MATHER,
LAST
1774
NEXT
REF.
4397
1.
WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR WASHINGTON PROMPT REPLY.
2.
IF THE AMERICANS ARE NOT PREPARED TO TAKE ANY FURTHER STEPS UNTIL THE REFUGEES ARE LANDED IN JAPAN OR ELSEWHERE AND SINCE THERE IS AT PRESENT NOONE ELSE IN SIGHT WHO WILL ACCEPT THEM, WE CONSIDER THAT ANY FURTHER ACTION HERE MUST BE DICTATED BY HMG'S WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE REFUGEES IN THE LAST RESORT IF NO OTHER
COUNTRY WILL HAVE THEM.
3.
THE REFUGEES CANNOT BE LANDED IN JAPAN WITHOUT AN UNDER-
TAKING FROM A THIRD COUNTRY FOR THEIR EVENTUAL RESETTLEMENT AN
UNDERTAKING FROM UNHCR IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE JAPANESE,
CUSHING'S STATEMENT THAT IT IS JAPANESE POLICY TO REQUIRE ASSUR-
ANCES FROM THE COUNTRY OF THE VESSELS REGISTRY IS MISLEADING, THEY WILL ACCEPT ASSURANCES FROM ANY COUNTRY BUT CLEARLY THE FLAG COUNTRY HAS A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY AND INDEED THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST THREE CASES SINCE MAY, ONE INVOLVING 'THE DUTCH AND TWO THE NORWEGIANS WHERE THE FLAG COUNTRY HAS GIVEN ASSURANCES. IN THE LIGHT OF THESE EXAMPLES IT IS NATURALLY HOPED THAT WE WILL FOLLOW SUITE AND BOTH THE MFA AND THE LOCAL UNHCR OFFICE AS WELL AS THE SHIPS AGENTS HAVE ASKED US TODAY WHEN OUR ASSURANCES WILL
BE FORTHCOMING.
RESTRICTED
4. UNDER NEW