CONFIDENTIAL
8.
WATANABE SAID THAT THEY HAD TAKEN MOST SERIOUSLY WHAT MURRAY HAD SAID TO KADOTA (YOUR TUR), AND HAD PASSED IT ON TO THE OTHER
JAPANESE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED. IT REMAINED A VERY COMPLICATED
CASE, AND THEY WERE FEARFUL OF THE PRECEDENT WHICH COULD BE SET
BY THE REFUSAL OF THE REFUGEES TO ACCEPT FIRST ASYLUM WHEN IT WAS
OFFERED TO THEM, A SITUATION WHICH THEY HAD NEVER FORESEEN, HE ADMITTED NEVERTHELESS THAT MR .SONODA'S STATEMENT HAD BEEN ·
UNQUALIFIED.
9. IF IT is POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE FOR THE JAPANESE TO BE GIVEN A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CASE AS SEEN BY THE UNIICR, RECOMMEND THAT IT MIGHT END SOMETHING LIKE QUOTE WE THEREFORE CONCLUDE THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION IS FOR THE REFUGEES TO BE DISEMBARKED AT THE VESSEL'S NEXT PORT OF CALL, WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE A JAPANESE PORT UNQUOTE I THINK THEY WILL THEN GET ON WITH IT. SUCHA STATEMENT COULD ALSO BE A POWERFUL WEAPON TO BE HELD IN RESERVE.
GIFFARD
:
FILES
SEAD
PS
HK & GD
UND
FED
EESD
N AM D
SAD
MAED
EID
FUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D. MVD
PS/IPS
FS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY MR STRATTON
LORD NG LENNOX
MR FERGUSSON
MR FRETVELL
3.
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION-
:
BOAT PEOPLE
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