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POLICY TOWARDS VIETNAMESE RESCUED AT SEA
3. As my Right Honourable Friend the Home Secretary informed the
House cn 11 June, we shall honour our international obligations in
accordance with the Law of the Sea. These obligations require
masters of British ships to assist those in distress at sea.
However, normal internationa: practice is for the country of the
next port of call to take in people so rescued. I cannot give a
commitment that all such people would be accepted into this
country irrespective of the circumstances.
WILL BRITAIN TAKE MORE REFUGEES?
4. This is for the Home Secretary. [A Background Note is
attached].
THE MV ROACH BANK AND THE MV NORSE VIKING
5.
Representatives of the International Commission on
European Migration are in Taiwan to make necessary arrangements
for the disembarkation of the refugees and their transfer to
the United Kingdom. The refugees are still on board but we
hope it will soon be possible for them to go ashore.
6. The MV Norse Viking is now in Osaka, Japan. We are in
touch with the Japanese Government about its refugees.