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4.CAPTAIN WATSON SAID HE PICKED UP REFUGEES APPROX ONE HUNDRED MILES FROM MALAY COAST. THEIR FOOD WAS EXHAUSTED, FRESH WATER WAS BEING EEKED OUT WITH SEA WATER, ENGINE HAD FAILED AND BOAT ALREADY HAD FOOT OF WATER IN BOTTOM. THEY HAD FEW IF ANY POSSESSIONS.
SEVERAL SPEAK ENGLISH AMONG THEM A DOCTOR WHO HAD ALREADY
SUFFERED TWO YEARS OF VIETNAMESE ''REHABILITATION**
CAMP AND A FORMER AMERICAN TRAINED SERGEANT
IN SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY, ONLY DOCTOR APPEARED TO
KNOW MORE THAN FEY WORDS OF FRENCH.MAJORITY ARE
ETHNIC CHINESE.
5. UNHCR THIS MORNING REPORT THAT AUSTRALIAN
EMBASSY IS LIKELY TO SELECT A FEW WHO HAVE FAMILY
CONNECTIONS IN THAT COUNTRY AND WHO MIGHT THEREFORE DISEMBARK IN BANGKOK.US AUTHORITIES MAY ALSO TAKE
SOME BUT PREFER TO INTERVIEW IN HONG KONG IF IT IS
AGREED THAT SHIP CAN TAKE REFUGEES TO HONG KONG.THEY
ARE DISINCLINED TO LET THEM DISEMBARK IN BANGKOK IN
VIEW OF ALREADY STRAINED RELATIONS WITH THAIS IN
REFUGEE FIELD. IN CONVERSATION WITH UNHCR AMERICAN
EMBASSY SEEM TO RECALL THAT HMG HAS ALREADY DECLARED
THAT IT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REFUGEES PICKED UP
BRITISH VESSELS IF NO OTHER COUNTRY WILL TAKE.
6.SHIP IS NOW DUE TO SAIL FOR HONG KONG TOMORROW EVENING(5 MAY).
GRATEFUL TO KNOW BY #58530Z WHETHER REMAINING REFUGEES CAN BE
DISEMBARKED AT HONG KONG
TRIPP
FILE S:
SEAD
UND
H K & G D MVD
CONSULAR D
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