RESTRICTED
2. I QUESTION THEREFORE WHETHER THERE IS ANYTHING TO DE GAINED FROM PRESSING THE SINGWPORE GOVERNMENT ON THIS CASE. WE KNOW WHAT THEIR RESPONSE WOULD BE A REQUEST TO TAKE THE REFUGEES
WITHOUT GUARANTEE. UNLESS THE UK IS PREPARED TO GIVE THAT GUARANTEE WE WOULD RISK MAKING THE HANDLING OF FUTURE CASES
INVOLVING BRITISH OR HONG KONG SHIPS ARRIVING HERE MORE DIFFICULT. IF SO INSTRUCTED, HOWEVER, WE COULD EXPLORE WITH THEM ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS THE CAPTAIN'S ACTION IN SETTING THE REFUGEES ADRIFT. (THEY ARE PROBABLY UNAWARE OF THIS :
GEUTERS, QUOTING AN ARMED FORCES SPOKESMAN, REPORTS FROM HONG KONG THAT THE TONG SING BRIEFLY SPOTTED THE RAFT AND TIPPED
OFF A ROYAL NAVY PATROL BOAT WHICH PICKED THEM UP. THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO THE TONG SING HAVING DUMPED THE REFUGEES.)
3%
WE HAVE NOT (NOT) DISCUSSED THIS WITH CARPENTER WHO IS
NOW IN KUALA LUMPUR. ON THE FACE OF IT THE QUESTION OF
PRINCIPLE IS ONE WHICH THE UNHCR HEADQUARTERS MIGHT BETTER TAKE
UP WITH THE SINGAPOREANS. WE DO NOT INCIDENTALLY KNOW WHAT REPLY
MR LEE KUAN YEW SENT TO HARTLING ABOUT THE REGENSTEIN CASE.
4 YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT CARPENTER RECENTLY TOLD US THAT THERE
ARE NOW OVER 400 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN SINGAPORE AWAITING
RESETTLEMENT. ALL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME OF THOSE ON
THE HIJACKED VIETNAMESE FREIGHTER VAN-CO WHICH IS STILI, HERE
HAVE GUARANTEES FROM THIRD COUNTRIES TO BE MOVED ON WITHIN
TWO OR THREE MONTHS. BUT PRESSURE ON ACCOMMODATION IS NOW
INTENSE.
1
HENNINGS
}
FILES
UND
SEAD
HK & GD
MVD
NEWS DEPT
FS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS/MR LUARD
MR WEIR
HR MURRAY
M FIGG
AR STRATTON
COPIES TO:
MR C BIRT INB
HOME OFFICE
CROYDON
2
RESTRICTED
....
!