GR 230
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 243/1
EXCEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
10 NOV 1978
DEVICER
INDEX
PA
FM HONG KONG 080953Z NOV 78
TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.1286 OF 8 NOVEMBER,
REG-BIRY, Action T
en
Reply
UND
INFO PRIORITY: HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, PEKING,
CANBERRA, WASHINGTON,
ROUTINE : HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
(268
MY TELNO.1276 (NOT TO ALL) :
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
280
agreed with
1. MAIDEEN HAS INFORMED US (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT ANOTHER VESSEL
WITH ABOUT 1,500 REFUGEES WAS DUE TO SAIL FROM HO CHI MINH CITY
THIS WOULD NOW MAKE ARRIVAL IN FOR HONG KONG ON 3 NOVEMBER, HONG KONG IMMINENT.
2. THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CARRIAGE OF THESE REFUGEES APPEARS
TO BE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE CASES OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS AND HI HONG, AND THE PRICE OF A PASSAGE IS SAID TO BE UP TO TWELVE
COMPLICITY BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TAELS OF GOLD PER HEAD.
SEEMS OBVIOUS.
3. WE WISH TO REITERATE THE CONCERN EXPRESSED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF
WE SHALL FACE A VERY DIFFICULT MY TELNO.1229 OF 24 OCTOBER.
IT WILL BE SEEN AS A TEST
SITUATION IF THE VESSEL ARRIVES. CASE. IF ALLOWED ENTRY TO HONG KONG, WE CAN EXPECT OTHER VESSELS TO FOLLOW SUIT. MAIDEEN ESTIMATES THAT AS MANY AS 10,000 MIGHT ATTEMPT TO LEAVE VIETNAM DURING NOVEMBER ALTHOUGH NOT ALL OF THESE, OF COURSE, WOULD MAKE FOR HONG KONG.
CONFIDENTIAL