APS 290
CONFIDENTIAL
FN HONG KONG 0804512 FEB 79.
20
ASH MANILA
TELNO 19 OF 8 FEBRUARY
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO INMEDIATE FCO UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
PRIORITY: HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE LONDON,
MY TELNO 224 TO FCO : 'TUNG AN'.
по
336
HKK 243/!
Jala
1. VE UNDERSTAND FROM A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE EMBASSY
THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER HAS TOLD YOU THAT THE PHILIPPINES
GOVERNMENT INTEND TO FORCE THE 'TUNG AN TO LEAVE MANILA TODAY,
PRESUMABLY WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING IT SAIL TO HONG KONG,
2.
>
UNLESS YOU SEE STRONG OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF YOU WILL NOW
INFORM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY THAT WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO TREAT
HONG KONG AS BEING THE FIRST PORT OF CALL IN THIS CASE. THIS
MEANS THAT THE VESSEL WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER HONG KONG.
THE TUNG AN' HAS ALREADY BEEN IN MANILA FOR SOME FIVE WEEKS,
REFUGEES HAVE BEEN PROCESSED FROM THE BOAT WHILE IT IS THERE, FURTHERMORE, THE SHIP IS DE-REGISTERED AND THEREFORE CANNOT LEGALLY DE ALLOWED TO ENTER INTERNATIONAL WATERS.
3. WE DO NOT AT PRESENT INTEND TO MAKE THESE REPRESENTATIONS PUBLIC, BUT WE WOULD OF COURSE HAVE TO DO SO IF THE 'TUNG AN' IS FORCED TO LEAVE AND IF IT ATTEMPTS TO COME HERE.
4. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE U.S AMBASSADOR HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PRESIDENT MARCOS AND, IN PARALLEL WITH THE UNHCR, APPEAL TO HIM NOT TO FORCE THE 'TUNG AN' TO LEAVE. HE VERY MUCH HOPE THESE ENDEAVOURS, AND YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIONS, SUCCEED. IF THEY DO NOT, AND IF THE TUNG AN ATTEMPTS TO COME HERE, WE WILL DECIDE PRECISELY HOW TO PLAY THE GAME LATER.
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