DEPARTMENT OF TRADE Shipping Policy Division
1 Victoria Street London SW1H OET
Telex 27366 Answer Back DTIHQ London
Telegrams Advantage London SW1
Telephone Direct Line
Switchboard
01-215 5406
01-215 7877-
1.
KOR
Cri: 24
4
378A
12
2.
пр. товст
Lise 022
CT.25/1
P Morgan Esq
UN Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office ·
LONDON
SW 1A 2AH
HKK 24+3
Your reference
hing
Our reference
T
Date
NO. ST
Desty
13 July 1979
Dear Par
VIETNANESE REFUGEES
11
ALCEIVED
5 12 1970
(13)
DESK OST« *R INDEX
PA
RY
Many thanks for your letter of 6 July. I have passed on to the General Council of British Shipping your words of cold comfort on possible reimbursement by the UNHCR to shipowners for out of pocket expenses. I indicated in my reply that I felt there was little to be gained by pursuing this question. It remains to be seen what response will be made by the GCBS but 1 anticipate that they will let this issue drop and return more forcefully to the other issue ie the question of recompense for loss of earnings by shipowners whilst negotiations for ultimate resettlement of refugees are being pursued.
Although my instincts tell me that the marginal expense issue will be dropped a more combative streak within me cannot let pass a reference in your letter to the UNICR distinction between services rendered after landing refugees and services rendered between rescue and landing. I would have thought that UNHCR parallel appeals to flag states not to allow their ships to pass by refugees, and to coastal states to allow temporary asylum to the refugees at first port of call, brings with it a parallel responsibility to defray the expenses incurred.
If need be I will return to that point but in the interim you will not hear from me until the GCBS respond to my letter
Yous
Humay
JM GRAHAM