MESIDENT DAVID ROPNER
Telephone 01-203 2322
990
C-SEAD
LEC ES
13 Lord Prvy Seal t's My Boxes-
GENERAL COUNCIL OF BRITISH SHIPPING
Aur tirgusson 30-32 ST. MARY AXE
Legal Advisers
Sirtrony fawon niin
PS Mu- Marlie FS PWQ
WAD
Mur cortass
M. Muray
Mr Leabuj
HKGDE 6th June, 1979
LONDON, EC3A BET
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The Rt. Hon. John Nott, MP., Secretary of State for Trade, Department of Trade, 1, Victoria Street,
HKK 243/London, SW1H OFT.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 53
INC
1 1 JUN 1979
DESK OFFICER
PA
NotMo
R
Secvatory of State,
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
·
I was very sorry I could not be at the meeting with you yesterday evening. But I must say I am very concerned to hear that the Government can give no general commitment about relieving British shipowners, Masters and crews of the presence on their ships of refugees who have been picked up in distress at sea under the legal obligation imposed by Section 6 of the Maritime Conventions Act 1911.. As I have said before I can well understand the difficult decisions facing the Government in this matter, and indeed your negotiating position vis-à-vis the United Nations and other countries concerned. But the case by case approach, which I am told the Government is now adopting, means that owners, Masters and crews may be faced with having hundreds of these unfortunate people on board their ships for weeks on end. Quite frankly, as my Vice-President said to you yesterday at the meeting, this situation is not acceptable to the shipping industry. The cost implications for owners, as well as the practical con- siderations, are, as you know, too serious for it to be acceptable.
I have been thinking around the problem and. what I would like to suggest is a tacit understanding between HMG and the GCBS that if the country of first port of call after a UK registered ship has taken on board refugees will not take them after diplomatic representations, then HMG, by the most appropriate means open to it, will make themselves responsible for taking the refugees off the ship. I fully realise the practical difficulties that may arise in each individual case. But equally you will realise the impossible position in which owners and Masters are placed and the appalling conditions for the crew, as well as the refugees themselves, if the latter are not quickly taken off the ship.