S 210
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 310915Z JUL 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
HKK 243
24311
•
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1089 OF 31 JULY
INDEX
AND TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
PA
1492
14AS1
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
474
YOUR TELNO 173 TO UKMIS GENEVA: ORGANISED RESCUE OF VIETNAM REFUGEES AT SEA: USE OF HONG KONG FACILITIES.
1. PARA 6 OF TUR REFERRED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF USING HONG KONG RADAR AND COMMUNICATION FACILITIES IN ORGANISED RESCUE OPERATIONS . CONDUCTED BY THE US AND POSSIBLY OTHER NAVIES.
2. MARINE DEPARTMENT HERE IS NOT AT PRESENT EQUIPPED WITH RADAR FOR CONTROL OF SHIPPING OUTSIDE HARBOUR WATERS AND WE PRESUME THAT WHAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING WERE RESCUES ON THE HIGH SEAS.
3. THE US NAVY HAS ITS OWN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION FACILITIES USING GUAM AND THE PHILIPPINES AND IS UNLIKELY TO REQUIRE ASSISTANCE OF THIS NATURE WHEN ON THE HIGH SEAS, IT OCCASIONALLY USES BRITISH SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES WHEN ITS SHIPS ARE IN OR NEAR HONG KONG WATERS. ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT OUR ARGUMENT IN PARA 4 OF MY TELNO. 1056 IS ACCEPTED AND THERE IS NO QUESTION OF REFUGEES COLLECTED BY THE US NAVY BEING LANDED IN HONG KONG, THERE IS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF THE AMERICANS BEING IN LOCAL WATERS WHEN ON ORGANISED RESCUE OPERATIONS, IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE NEED FOR THEM TO USE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES
IN HONG KONG SEEMS REMOTE.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
A.
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION BOAT PEOPLE
SEAD
PS
HK & GD
UND
FED
EESD
N AM D
SAD
MAED
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
PS/LPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER
PS/PUS
SIR A DUTY
SIR A PARSONS MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY MR STRATTON
MRBULLARD MRFRETWELL
MVD
SNFIDENTIAL