GR 375
UNCLASSIFIED
HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. $1 - 8 JAN1979
41
RECRY
Action
en
OLE
FM HONG KONG 051134Z JAN 79
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO.40 OF 5 JANUARY,
Λ
See 42
INFO IMMEDIATE: UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
PRIORITY PEKING, CANBERRA, MANILA, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE,
BANGKOK, MODUK, H.K. GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
INFO SAVING : HANOI.
39
MY TELNO.38: 'HUEY FONG' : STATEMENT BY UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF STATEMENT ISSUED THIS EVENING BY GIS:-
''WE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE UNHCR TO ISSUE THE FOLLOWING:-
THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE, MR A.RASANAYAGAM, TOGETHER WITH HIS DEPUTY, MET TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VIETNAMESE DISPLACED PERSONS FROM THE HUEY FONG TODAY (FRIDAY). THE MEETING TOOK PLACE ON BOARD HMS WASPERTON IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HUEY FONG'S MASTER, NO OTHE WERE PRESENT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO REITERATE TO THE VIETNAMESE, ON BOARD THE HUEY FONG, THE UNHCR'S CONCERN FOR THEIR WELFARE, AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THEIR SITUATION. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE STRESSED THAT HE WAS NOT MEETING THEM TO MAKE PROPOSALS OR TO OFFER ADVICE. HE WAS THERE SIMPLY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE REFUGEES FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE REALITIES OF THEIR PRESENT SITUATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FIRM POLICY OF MAINTAINING THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE.
MR RASANAYAGAM RAISED THE QUESTION OF HEALTH CONDITIONS ON
BOARD THE HUEY FONG AND WAS TOLD BY THE VIETNAMESE SPOKESMEN THAT THEY WERE APPRECIATIVE OF HONG KONG'S GENEROSITY IN PROVIDING THEM
F
/WITH