GR 180
CONFIDENTIAL
387
383
IDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 261130Z
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1488 OF 26 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
HKK 243/1
RELLIVED IN REGIS.AY NO. 51
29 DEC 1978
INDEX
CLZ
WASHINGTON
PRIOPHY
SINGAPORE BANGKOK
EXING
HONG KONG
CANBERRA MANILA KUALA LUMPUR
GOVT OFFICE LONDON
INFO SAVING HANOI.
389
MY TELNO 1486 : HUEY FONG.
See 390
1. THE SHIP REMAINED AT ANCHOR THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND TODAY, THE ONLY VISIBLE CHANGE THIS MORNING WAS A BANNER REQUESTING PERMISSION TO STAY IN HONG KONG,
2
3
ON MAKING FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE SHIP THIS AFTERNOON TO ASCERTAIN WHY IT HAD NOT LEFT: THE MASTER WAS SAID TO BE UNWELL. THE SAME TWO REFUGEE REPRESENTATIVES WERE BROUGHT ON TO HMS BEACHAMPTON. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF MY TELNO 1485 WAS REPEATED TO THEM MORE FORCEABLY. THE POINT WAS ALSO MADE THAT AS SUFFICIENT FOOD HAD BEEN PUT ON BOARD TO LAST TILL TAIWAN THEY SHOULD PROCEED WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.
3. THE REPRESENTATIVES SAID THAT THEY WOULD SEEK THE AUTHORITY OF THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES TO PROCEED THERE, THEY GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT ONCE THEY HAD OBTAINED THIS, THEY WOULD LEAVE HONG KONG.
4.
SUBSEQUENTLY OPINION ON THE SHIP SEEMS TO HAVE HARDENED
AND MORE BANNERS HAVE APPEARED.
FCO PASS SAVING TO HANCI.
MACLEHOSE
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
PS/MR LUARD
PS/PUS
FILES
UND
HK & GD
SEAD
MR WEIR
FED
MR CORTAZZI
NEWS D
MR MURRAY
OID
PS
COPIES TO:
MR C BIRT
HOME OFFICE, LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON MR P′ BURLEIGH, HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON
PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
CONFIDENTIAT,