Mr A M Simons, SEAD
CONFIDENTIAL
AKK 243/1
Акк
REGATVED dia .... Y: SY NO.
2 1 JUN 1979
INDCA
OFFICER
PA
по пров No
=
REGISTR
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: ROACHBANK
A
1.
Seoul telegram 71 of 19 June is in reply to a telegram from us saying that our sources have told us that the Taiwan authorities are still not satisfied with the guarantee they
have.
2. I have learned today that this problem has been solved but
we are now faced with three new problems:
a) a demand that someone should meet the costs of the transit camp. In actual fact the ship owners have already told their agents on Taiwan that they are prepared to accept this and that they, the agents, can give a guarantee to this effect.
b) a request for an official note or document specifying an exact date by which the refugees will be taken from Taiwan.
c) a continuing refusal to accept the refugees ashore which is clearly not dependent on either of the two preceding points. The Taiwan Authorities claim that the Pescadores camp cannot hold all the refugees. 140 must be flown out before the remainder are allowed to land. 140 is the number we said over a week ago we could take almost immediately. The Authorities will not even begin to discuss disembarkation arrangements until some time on Friday.
3.
-
In the light of this it is clear to all the parties involved that the Authorities want only one thing for the refugees to be taken straight off the ship and flown direct to the UK either piecemeal or in one batch. ICEM have so far managed to obtain bookings for two batches of 60 refugees, one on 25 June, the other on 26 June. There are no indications yet of when the remainder might be able to travel. The DC10 ban has of course caused a considerable reduction in seat capacity on routes to the Far East.
4.
No
In order to try and overcome this situation we have today investigated the possibility of chartering an aircraft. one way charter is available but Laker can produce a DC10 virtually at once at a cost of £140,000. ICEM who would have to meet the cost on behalf of UNHCR are not prepared to go along with this despite the Wellpark charter flights last year (cost £125,000 approx. for 2 Boeing 707 aircraft). ICEM accept that the price is reasonable for the aircraft offered but they expect to pay only £65-70,000 under the arrangements they are making with the airlines. For them to
CONFIDENTIAL
/accept