ادنا كذا
CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE
RESTRICTED
343/330/!
HKK 243
RIJE
FM TOKYO 210910Z SEPT
2 ? SEP 1977
DUSKY
INDEX
RE
cio: Takon
Kateryn
150
Da
RESTRICTED
DESKBY FCO 211200Z
PA
See
above.
Am
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TEL NO 705 OF 21-9-77 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION IMMEDIATE HONG KONG PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA MANILA.
AND SAVING MONROVIA.
YOUR TELNO 474: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. WE EXERCISED THE DISCRETION GIVEN US IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF TUR AND HANDED OVER ON 23 SEPTEMBER A NOTE ON THE LINES OF PARAGRAPH 3 OF MY TELNO 698. SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN ALMOST CONTINUAL FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE SORT OF WORDING, SHORT OF AN UNDERTAKING TO ADMIT ALL THE REFUGEES, WHICH MIGHT SATISFY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE. THE UPSHOT OF THIS WAS THAT I WAS SUMMONED TO SEE THE DEPUTY VICE MINISTER FOR ADMINISTRATION ON 21 SEPTEMBER. MATSUNAGA SAID THAT THE JAPANESE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES WERE PRE- PARED TO ADMIT THESE REFUGEES ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, SUBJECT TO THERE BEING A SATISFACTORY FORM OF ASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAVE JAPAN. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION IN WHICH WE REHEARSED MOST OF WHAT HAD GONE BEFORE, HE SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD WITH- DRAW THE NOTE SUBMITTED ON 23 SEPTEMBER AND SUBSTITUTE FOR IT ANOTHER IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
"....HAVE THE HONOUR TO INFORM THEM THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE OFFERED THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES A QUOTA FOR SMALL BOAT REFUGEES'', AND THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERN- MENT ARE READY TO INFORM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO GIVE MOST SYMPATHETIC (1 REJECTED MOST FAVOURABLE"')" CONSIDERATION TO APPLICATIONS UNDER THIS QUOTA FROM ANY OF THE GROUP OF REFUGEES PICKED UP BY THE VESSEL ''GOLDEN DOLPHIN' WHO WISH TO COME TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
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