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GR 518
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM TOKYO 1985152 SEPT
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 190330Z (FCO)
RESTRICTED
1122
.HKK 243/332/1
Sec.
19 SEP 1977
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TEL NO 598 19-9-77 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION PRIORITY HONG KONG, ROUTINE MANILA UKMIS GENEVA MONROVIA. \YOUR TELNO 472: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. MEMBER OF CHANCERY SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF 1ST SE ASIAN DIVISION. IN REPLY HOGEN SAID THAT FOLLOWING RECENT CRITICAL PRESS ARTICLES THE PRIME MINISTER HAD TAKEN AN INTEREST IN THE PROBLEM OF SMALL BOAT REFUGEES AND A COMMITTEE REPRESENTING 5 MINISTRIES WAS NOW EXAMINING WAYS OF IMPROVING THE SITUATION. SOME PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE BUT THE MFA WERE STILL LOCKED IN COMBAT WITH THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OVER THE LATTER'S INSISTENCE UPON THE. RECEIPT OF THIRD COUNTRY GUARANTEES BEFORE ALLOWING REFUGEES TO LAND IN JAPAN. HOGEN AGREED TO INFORM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OF THE OFFER CONTAINED IN PARA 1(A) OF TUR,
2. IN SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS OVER THE WEEKEN HOGEN REPORTED THAT OUR OFFER DID NOT SATISFY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE'S REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ISSUE OF ENTRY PERMITS. HE SAID THAT THE LIBERIAN EMBASSY WERE UVNSISTING UPON A FULL WRITTEN REPORT FROM THE SHIP'S AGENTS BEFORE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MONROVIA. HE ADDED THAT THE MFA WERE DOING THEIR UTMOST TO BRING PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE MINISTRY OF
JUSTICE TO GET THEM TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS.
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IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT SEEMS WORTH CONSIDERING WHETHER THERE IS ANY ACTION OPEN TO US WHICH MIGHT ASSIST THE MFA IN THIS TASK. WE SENSE THAT THIS MIGHT BE ACHIEVED, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE COULD BE AUTHORISED IMMEDIATELY TO DELIVER A NOTE VERBALE USING THE FIRST PART OF THE TEXT OF PARA 1(A) OF TUR (LESS THE LAST TEN WORDS) AND GOING ON TO INFORM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAD OFFERED UNHCR A QUOTA FOR SMALL BOAT REFUGEES (YOUR TEL 14 TO UKMIS GENEVA) AND THAT WE WERE READY TO INFORM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER THAT WE WERE WILLING TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM REFUGEES IN JAPAN UNDER THIS QUOTA PROVIDED THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IN GRANTING PERMISSION FOR SUCH REFUGEES TO LAND WERE PREPARED TO ACCEPT UNHCR
RESTRICTED
/ ASSURANCES ON