GR 495
CONFIDENTIAL
66
12
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 90923Z JAN 79
TOP COPY
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO.65 OF 9 JANUARY,
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
HKK 243/
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY O. 51 - 9 JAN 1979
Desk OF CER
INDEX
No
ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, CANBERRA, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE,
JAKARTA.
:
''HUEY FONG'' POSITION OF AUTHORITIES IN TAIWAN.
Actio
1. FOLLOWING REQUESTS TO THE U.S CONSULATE-GENERAL, THE U.S
EMBASSY IN TAIPEI HAS TRIED TO OBTAIN A CLEAR STATEMENT OF POLICY
IN TAIWAN TOWARDS SHIPS CARRYING REFUGEES FOR WHICH A PORT IN TAIWAN IS THE FIRST PORT OF CALL. THE AMERICANS HAVE NOW BEEN
TOLD THAT THE REMARKS MADE BY A MEMBER OF THE OVERSEAS CHINESE
COMMISSION ON 2 JANUARY ON TAIWAN'S POLICY AND REPORTED BY PRESS
AGENCIES (E,G MY TELNO 20, PARA.1 - NOTAL) WERE MADE AT AN UNOFFICIAL GATHERING AND WERE NOT INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION. THE AMERICANS HAVE THEREFORE NOT BEEN GIVEN AN AUTHORITATIVE VERSION OF THE OFFICIAL'S REMARKS BUT THE U.S EMBASSY SAYS, THE PRESS REPORTS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT.
2. AN M.F.A OFFICIAL IN TAIWAN HAS TOLD A U.S EMBASSY OFFICIAL THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE GOVERNMENT ON TAIWAN MAY INTEND TO REASSESS ITS REFUGEE POLICY (PRESUMABLY TO BE MORE RESTRICTIVE) BUT HAS NOT FOUND TIME TO CONVENE A
MEETING TO DO SO.
3. THE U.S EMBASSY'S ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE
HUEY FONG SAILED TO KAOHSIUNG IS AS FOLLOWS:
CONFIDENTIAL
"THE GOVERNMENT
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