GRS 250 IMMEDIATE
CYPHER. CAT A FM FCO 051842Z
RESTRICTED
DESKEY 060745Z
RESTRICTED
205
HKK 243/
243/1
TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 299 OF 5 OCTOBERIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
AND TO WASHINGTON
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
203
-
· 9 OCT 1978
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
·REGIOTRY Action Ten
CE
MY TELNO 759 TO HONG KONG AND TELECON MORGAN/MACINNES: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON THE QUOTE WELL PARK UNQUOTE
1. THANK YOU FOR ALERTING ICEM AND UNHCR.
2. US EMBASSY HAVE INFORMED US THAT TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER HAS REJECTED OUR GUARANTEE AND HAS ALSO REFUSED EVEN TEMPORARY TRANSIT FACILITIES TO THE REFUGEES.
3. WE INTEND TO ASK THE AMERICANS TO SPEAK AGAIN TO TAIWANESE
TO REQUEST TRANSIT FACILITIES TO ALLOW THE EVACUATION OF THE
GROUP. BEFORE DOING SO, HOWEVER, WE ARE HOPING TO ARRANGE
A DEFINITE EVACUATION PLAN TO BE PUT TO THE TAIWANESE, FIRSTLY," WE ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF CHARTERING AIRCRAFT TO
PICK UP THE REFUGEES (WE HOPE UNHCR WILL MEET THE COST OF THESE OR AT LEAST THE EQUIVALENT COST OF COMMERCIAL AIR-FARES TO THE UK). SECONDLY, WE NEED TO ENSURE ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE HERE FOR THE REFUGEES ON ARRIVAL.
4. WHEN THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE FIRM, WE SHALL ASK WASHINGTON
TO REQUEST THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PUT OUR PLAN TO THE TAIWANESE
OWEN
FILES
Ps
UND
SEAD
FED
HK YGD (6)
MVD
NEWS, D
OID
PS / LORD GORONWY ROBERTS PS | MR LUARD
PSIPUS
MR CORTAZZ
MR MURRAY
MR FIGG
RESTRICTED
COPIES
To:
- BIRT, HOME OFFICE,
LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON
MR. HANDS, DISASTER
UNIT.OPM