GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 3007182 DEC 78
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
HKK
RECEIVLE
1415
0.51
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICER
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
No
&
TELEGRAM
NUMBER 1505 OF 30 DECEMBER AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
KUALA LUMPUR MANILA
SINGAPORE
PEKING CANBERRA
BANGKOKK.
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 1080 TO FCO (REPEATED SAVING TO SOME) : HUEY
FONG.
1. LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE OF UNHCR, RASANAYAGAM, CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER THIS AFTERNOON TO MAKE SIMILAR REPRESENTATIONS
IN THE FORM OF A LETTER FROM DE HAAN TO THE GOVERNOR.
2. PA EXPLAINED THAT OUR POLICY REMAINS TO GET THE HUEY FONG TO CONTINUE TO ITS ORIGINAL FIRST PORT OF CALL. HE SAID (ASKING
'THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE REVEALED PUBLICLY) THAT WE WERE MAKING A FURTHER EFFORT THROUGH THE AMERICANS TO GET TAIWAN TO ACT ACCORDING TO ITS DECLARED POLICY AND ACCEPT ALL THOSE ON THE HUEY FONG, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE 300 ETHNIC VIETNAMESE WHOM WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH. HE EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS NOW A MAJOR CONCERN FOR HONG KONG TTO FIND WAYS OF DEALING WITH WHAT WAS CLEARLY AN ORGANISED RACKET. GIVING WAY ON THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE,
BY ACCEPTING THOSE ON THE HUEY FONG, WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO FURTHER SHIPS ARRIVING IN HONG KONG AND EMPLOYING SIMILAR BLACKMAIL
TACTICS. IT WOULD NOT SOLVE THE REAL PROBLE M.
3.
RASANAYAGAM, WHO IS PERSONALLY SYMPATHETIC TO THE HONG KONG
HE DID NOT REQUIRE A FORMAL POSITION, SAID HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD. REPLY TO THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPRESENTATIONS AT THIS STAGE. HE SAID THAT HE HAD TOLD GENEVA THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THOSE ON
THE HUEY FONG SHOULD NOT SEEM TO GET PRIORITY RESETTLEMENT ( AS HAD
HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF THE HAI HONG. HE WAS TRYING TO ENSURE THẤT ANY OFFERS OF HELP WERE APPLIED TO THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN IN HONG KONG FOR A LONG TIME.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.