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CONFIDENTIAL
HKCK 243/!
GR 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM MANILA 0506052 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 011
TELEGRAM NUMBER Ø11 OF 5 FEBRUARY
:. No
78/2
703
INFO PRIORITY FCO, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, ROUTINE TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
MY TELNO 10: TUNG AN (NOT TO ALL).
1. UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE, BLATTER, TELLS US FILIPINO POSITION ON SENDING TUNG AN ON TO HONG KONG IS HARDENING, MAIN REASON
BEING THAT SINCE THEY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT REFUGEES LANDING
IN PALAWAN THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE ACTION WHERE THEY CAN HERE IN
MANILA. HE ALSO INFORMED US THAT UNHCR IN GENEVA SENT A TELEGRAM
TO PRESIDNET MARCOS LAST WEEK THANKING HIM FOR PROVIDING TUNG AN
WITH ASSISTANCE AND REQUESTING THE DISEMBARKATION OF AT LEAST
SOME OF THOSE ON BOARD.
(THIS TELEGRAM HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE PUBLIC HERE)
2. FILIPINOS BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM OVER SHIP'S LACK OF PAPERS. THEY WOULD SIMPLY GIVE CLEARANCE FOR IT TO LEAVE
AND IF NECESSARY TOW IT INTO INTERNATIONAL WATERS. THE MOTORS
ARE STILL WORKING: SHIP BEING MOVED EVERY FOUR OR FIVE DAYS UNDER ITS OWN POWER FOR POLLUTION REASONS. AS FAR AS WE KNOW MASTER HAS NOT REFUSED TO SAIL ON TO FIRST PORT OF CALL (CF. HUEY FONG). 3. IF, AS BLATTER SAYS (MY TELNO 009) AS MANY AS 100 HAVE NOW BEEN REFERRED TO YOU, IT WOULD CLEARLY HELP IF YOU COULD RESPOND SOON. ADDITIONALLY (MY TELNO 055 TO FCO) ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PERSUADE U.S. AUSTRALIAN AND CANADIAN AUTHORITIES SPEEDILY TO
REMOVE REFUGEES THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCEPT WOULD EASE
PRESSURE HERE.
BENTLEY
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE
MR BIRT
LONDON
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE HOME OFFICE
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
FILES
UND
PS
HK & GD
SEAD
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR LUARD
FED
PS/PUS
SAD
EID (E)
PUSD
OJ.D
IPD
SIR A DUFF
SIR A PARSONS
MR CORTAZZI
MR LEAHY
MR MURRAY
NEWS D MVD
CONFIDENTIAL