***
RA
CYETER/CAT A
FM HANOI 25070OZ
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TEL NO 178 OF 25 OCTOBER,
AND TO HONG KONG
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
FCO.
HONG KONG TEL NO 229 TO FCO.
245
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 27 OCT 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
No bat
REGISTRY Action Taken
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. MAIDEENS INFORMATION (WHICH IS NEW TO ME) THAT PANAMANIAN SHIP MAY HEAD FOR HONG KONG WITH REFUGEES SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. PRESUME HIS SOURCE OF INFORMATION IS SAME AS FOR SOUTHERN CROSS INCIDENT ABOUT WHICH HE WAS INFORMED ACCURATELY IN ADVANCE.
2. REFUGEES PLAN MAY NOT COME TO FRUITION: THE SHIP HAS NOT YET DOCKED AND MANY PALMS INCLUDING THAT OF CAPTAIN WILL HAVE TO BE GREASED. VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES MUST BE ON LOOK OUT FOR REPETITION OF SOUTHERN CROSS INCIDENT WHICH ANGERED THEM.
3. NEVERTHELESS, SEEN FROM HERE IT WOULD BE SENSIBLE TO PLAN ON ASSUMPTION THAT PANAMANIAN SHIP WILL HEAD FOR HONG KONG WITH. REFUGEES.
4. I WILL DO MY BEST TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION FROM MAIDEEN (MY HEAD OF CHANCERY RETURNS TODAY FROM HO CHI MINH CITY AND MAY BRING SOME) BUT I AM HAMPERED BY LACK OF QUICK AND SECURE COMMUNICATION WITH HIM.
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED
FCO PASS ALL
MARGETSON
FILES HA CONT22/
SEAD
MR. STRATTON
HK ~ QD
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO!
H K QD