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12.
I then ended the meeting.
The master left with us a copy of the telegram that he had sent to the Authorities in Taiwan. I gave Ngo a Chinese version of paras. 1-6 of the message. He and the master read this quickly and nodded in agreement. He and the refugee returned to the "Huey Fong" I felt convinced that both the raster and Ngo fully understood the position, and that Ngo would return to the Huey Fong intent on rallying support to persuade the master to decide to enter Hong Kong,
Post Meeting
13.
I reported the outcome of the meeting, by radic to Tamar Ops Room and agreed with S for that paras. 1-6 of the message would be repeated by loud hailer in Chinese from HMS Wasperton for the benefit of all on board the 'Huey Fong. We also agreed that para 7 would be repeated as having been an answer to a question. We agreed that the PR and Police vessels would withdraw from the vicinity of the 'Huey Fong' as a symbolic gesture, subject to the Police being able to ensure order in the immediate area of the vessel. For this purpose PL 56 might remain in the area.
14.
By this time the wind was blowing fairly strongly and Cmdr. Shercliffe did not have an easy job of positioning HMS Wasperton alongside the 'Huey Fong' for the loudspeaker messages to be made. A shorter message would have undoubtedly been preferable at this point, more easily understood and quicker to deliver.
15.
At the conclusion of the second loudspeaker delivery many of the refugees started waving and shouting (many in Cantonese that they wished to go to Hong Kong).
16.
The two RN patrol craft and the two police launches PL 1 and PL 56 then formed up in line astern and moved past the 'Huey Fong' in the direction of Waglin Island as a gesture of symbolic withdrawal from the scene.
19th January, 1979
G. 7. Bares
Deputy Secretary for Security
CONFIDENTIAL