GR 735
IMMEDIATE
YPHER CAT A
FM HONG KONG 230803Z
CONFIDENTIAL
FC
CONFIDENTI AL
HKK 243/1.
INDEX
24
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 1820 OF 23 AUGUST 1978
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
RAR
ooted 151
on
25-viii
A Σ24/8.
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON.
150
MY TELNO 1008 (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
Su 1.153
154
THE GOOD NEWS IN TUR ABOUT THE ''AVON FOREST'' REFUGEES WAS FOLLOWED YESTERDAY BY EXTREMELY BAD NEWS FROM THE US NAVAL LIAISON OFFICER HERE. THE FRIGATE USS 'WHIPPLE'' HAS PICKED UP ABOUT 406 REFUGEES (AGED BETWEEN 4 MONTHS AND 95 YEARS) FROM
ONE (POSSIBLY TWO) JUNKS IN A HEAVY STORN SOME 100 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAIGON. THE JUNK(S) SUBSEQUENTLY SANK. THE FRIGATE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLEARED FOR A ROUTINE VISIT TO HONG KONG (THE NEXT SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL) AND WE HAVE THEREFORE AGREED TO LAND THE REFUGEES AGAINST THE USUAL UNHCR GUARANTEE. THE FRIGATE EXPECTS TO ARRIVE HERE AT 0900 LOCAL ON 24 AUGUST.
2. THERE ARE ALREADY 2,166 REFUGEES AWAITING RESETTLEMENT HERE. THESE NEW ARRIVALS (THE LARGEST SINGLE GROUP SINCE THE 'CLARA MAERSK'') WILL TAKE UP VIRTUALLY ALL THE SPARE ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE TO UNHCR, PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT ONLY ABOUT 400 WILL BE RESETTLED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MONTHS. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE FLOW OF NEW ARRIVALS WILL SLACKEN.
3. WE HAVE TOLD THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL THAT IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT GENEROUS
POLICY, PARTICULARLY SINCE OUR WILLINGNESS TO LAND REFUGEES WITHOUT A GUARANTEE FROM THE FLAG CARRIER PUTS US IN A WORSE POSITION VIS-A-VIS THE US PROGRAMME. 1,500 PLACES ARE CURRENTLY RESERVED FOR REFUGEES RESCUED BY US-REGISTERED VESSELS TO ENABLE A GUARANTEE TO BE GIVEN WHEN THIS IS NECESSARY TO SECURE LANDING AT THE FIRST PORT OF CALL. IN SUCH CASES ALL THE REFUGEES LANDED CAN EXPECT TO GO ON TO THE US WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS. WHEN LANDED (AS IN THIS CASE) WITHOUT A GUARANTEE BEING REQUIRED, EARLY ONWARD MOVEMENT
COME IDENTI AL
TO THE US IS ONLY