IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
GRS 300
FM TOK YO 22291BZ
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 2@110sz
RESTRICTED
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 844 OF 20 SEPTEMBEU 1976.
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON...
4.17797
REF.
(149)
REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, ROUTINE SINGAPORE, OTTAWA, KUALA LUMPUR, PARIS AND JAKARTA,.
OUR TELNO 840: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: MS MATHER
1. ACCORDING TO THE MS MATHER'S AGENTS THE VESSEL WILL ARRIVE IN KOBE ON 22 SEPTEMBER. IT WILL THEN PROCEED TO MIZUSHIMA IN OKAYAMA PREFECTURE ON THE 23 SEPTEMBER AND DEPART JAPAN ON 24 SEPTEMBEER FOR EITHER SINGAPORE OR INDONESIA, 23 SEPTEMBER IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN JAPAN.
2. THE TOKYO OFFICE OF UNHCR HAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE REFUGEES AND IS PROVIDING FINANCIAL GUARANTEES. HOWEVER THEY HAVE NO INSTRUCTIONS AND LITTLE INFORMATION ON WHO WILL UNDERTAKE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESETTLEMENT, NO REFUGEE WILL BE PERMITTED TO LAND IN JAPAN UNLESS SUCH AN UNDERTAKING ABOUT HIS EVENTUAL RESETTLEMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTRY CONCERNED. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE HIMSELF IS AT PRESENT ABSENT FROM TOK YO.
3. THE AMERICAN CONSULATE-GENERAL IN KOBE, WHICH WILL BE THE RESPONSIBLE US OFFICE IN THIS CASE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE APPLICATIONS FOR TWO FAMILIES, COMPRISING 20 MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES..
WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE CANADIAN EMBASSY THAT
(PARA 2 OF UKMIS GENEVA'S TEL 274 REFERS) THE REMAINING 13 MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER CANADA
ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED. WE HAVE ASKED THE AMERICAN
/ CONSULATE-GENERAL
RESTRICTED