.
CONFIDENTIAL
GPS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FR UKMIS GENEVA 161715Z JAN 79
DESKBY HONG KONG 178280Z
HKK 243,
RECEIVED IN REGISTER NO. 51
17 JAN
RY
MIDEX
PA
arion
07
No
77811
136
DESKBY FCO 170803 Z
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 032 OF 16/1/79
CLE
AND INFO FCO (DESKBY 1738002) PRIORITY WASHINGTON PEKING HONG KONG ·
GOVT OFFICE LONDON
(132)
YOUR TELNO 31 HUEY FONG
1. IN THE AMBASSADOR'S ABSENCE TODAY IN PARIS I SPOKE AS SUGGESTED TO
THE DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER. I EXPLAINED THAT THE UNHCR REPRESENTAT-
IVE IN HONG KONG WAS ALOS PROPOSING THAT HE BE AUTHORISED TO GO TO
TAIWAN IF THE SHIP WAS ALLOWED TO LAND ITS REFUGEES THERE.
2. DE HAAN POLITELY BUT FIRMLY REPLIED THAT UNHCR'S POLICY WAS TO
HAVE NO DIRECT DEALINGS WITH TAIWAN. THIS COULD NOT BE OVER-RULED
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND PROBABLY CLEARANCE
WITH THE PEKING GOVERNMENT. GIVEN PRESENT PEKING/TAIWAN RELATION
-3 HE SAW NO PROSPECT OF GETTING THE POLICY CHANGED FOR A HYPOTHET-
ICAL SITUATION. EVEN IF THE SHIP DID REACH TAIWAN, UNHCR WOULD, AS IN THE PAST, COPE WITH THE NECESSARY FOLLOW-UP AT ONE REMOVE
USING AS THEIR AGENTS EITHER THE MIGRATION UNIT OF THE US CATHOLIC CONFERENCE (FOR US-BOUND REFUGEES) OR CARITAS (FOR OTHER REFUGEES). THE INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC MIGRATION COMMISSION BASED IN
CENEVA COULD ALSO HELP AS COULD ICEM. THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR
UNHCR TO CET DIRECTLY INVOLVED.
:
CONFIDENTIAL
/3.DE HAAN