GR
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
See 1553
FM F C 0 081743Z AUG 79
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
1589
TELEGRAM NUMBER 451 OF 3 AUGUST 1979.
HKK 243
24=3/1
.
N2
Aw sju
ра
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA AND TOKYOY
(530)
HONG KONG TELNO 1121 (NOW REPEATED) AND 1129 :
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON MY RUDD BANK,
1537A
see (15it!
1543
1. THE RUDD BANK IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE OFF SHANGHAI AT 1500 LOCAL
ON 10 AUGUST, WITH 120 REFUGEES STILL ON BOARD. AFTER UNLOADING
SOME CARGO IT WILL THEN GO TO QINGDAO SPENDING ABOUT A MONTH IN
CHINESE WATERS.
2. WE NEED TO MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO GET THE REFUGEES LANDED IN
CHINA. WE RECOGNISE THAT THE CHANCES OF A FAVOURABLE CHINESE
RESPONSE ARE NOT GOOD (THE NORSE VIKING CASE IS NOT AN ENCOURAGING PRECEDENT YOUR TELNO 529). NONETHELESS WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO APPROACH THE MFA AT AN/APPROPRIATE LEVEL AND MAKE THE FOLLOWING
POINTS:-
(1)
APPRO 184/279 211
WE HOPE THAT CHINA WILL FULFIL THE OBLIGATION OF A STATE
OF FIRST SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL AFTER RESCUE, AND ALLOW THE
120 REFUGEES ON THE RUDD BANK TO DISEMBARK AT SHANGHAI AND
TO AWAIT FINAL RESETTLEMENT.
(11) THE GENEROUS OFFERS OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR REFUGEES AND
OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE FOR THE UNHCR'S FUNDS ANNOUNCED BY ZHANG
WENJIN IN GENEVA MADE A NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE MEETING'S
OUTCOME, HE CALLED THERE FOR SHIPS OF ALL NATIONS TO RESCUE
REFUGEES AT SEA. A NECESSARY COROLLARY OF THIS IS THAT REFUGEES
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK AT THE FIRST SCHEDULED PORT OF
CALL SO THAT THE SHIPS' OWNERS ARE NOT PENALISED FOR ACTING
HUMANELY.
CONFIDENTIAL
/(111) THE RUDD