AL
HKK 243/1
1565
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NÓ.
IN
Мо
15 AUG 1979
OFFICER
REGISTRY
Action Taken
See/ 1.566
GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM F C 0 131859Z AUG 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 457 OF 13 AUGUST
INFO UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, TOKYO, PARIS, OTTAWA
1555
1558
YOUR TELNOS 712, 713 AND 715 AND UKMIS GENEVA'S TELNO 403 (NOT TO ALL): M V RUDD BANK
1. PLEASE CONVEY OUR APPRECIATION TO THE MFA FOR THEIR DECISION TO ALLOW THE REFUGEES TO LAND FOR TEMPORARY ASYLUM AND OUR DISAPPOINT- MENT AT THE INFORMATION IN YOUR FIRST TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. ASSUMING THAT CASELLA'S VISIT TO PEKING ENABLES UNHCR TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY PROCESSING FACILITIES FOR THE PRESENT REFUGEES, WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND AGREE TO DISEMBARK AT LEAST TEMPORARILY AT SHANGHAI. OUR AIM REMAINS TO LAND THE REFUGEES AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY, IF POSSIBLE AT SHANGHAI, TO ENABLE THE RUDD BANK'S CREW TO GO ABOUT THEIR NORMAL BUSINESS UNHINDERED,
2. THE RUDD BANK WILL BE IN SHANGHAI AT LEAST UNTIL 18 AUGUST. WE DO NOT YET KNOW THE TERMS OF THE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE SHANGHAI AUTHORITIES AND THE REFUGEES, WHICH LED TO THE REFUGEES' REFUSAL TO DISEMBARK. WE SEE ADVANTAGE IN A VISIT TO SHANGHAI BY CASELLA AND A MEMBER OF YOUR STAFF, DESIGNED TO REASSURE THE REFUGEES THAT: UNHCR WILL BE ABLE TO PROCESS AND REGISTER THEM IN CHINA, IF THIS IS IN FACT THE CASE, AND THAT THEY WILL ONLY STAY TEMPORARILY IN CHINA, THIS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THE SIT- UATION WITH THE MASTER, CASELLA WILL WISH TO DISCUSS THIS IDEA WITH YOU (HE MAY CONTACT SULLIVAN) AND TO SEE IF IT CAN FIT WITH
HIS OTHER COMMITMENTS.
;
CONFIDENTIAL
/3.