MA)
GR 150
CONFIDENTIAL
FM SEOUL 288309ZJAEP 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 213 OF 23 SEPTEMBER
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
HONG KONG (GOVERNOR)
HKK 243
RECENSE A
MIDEX
MY TELNO 211 (NOT TO HONG KONG): MY JALARTC: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
8 OCT 979
FZEA
P.A.
1. THE REFUGEES WERE ALLOWED ASHORE AT 10AM TODAY AND HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO THE CAMP AT BUSAN. UNDP ARE SATISFIED THAT THE CAMP WILL NOT BE UNACCEPTABLY CROWDED.
2. A PRESS RELEASE BY THE MFA PUBLISHED TODAY SAYS THAT QUOTE THOUGH THE NATION'S CAPACITY TO ACCEPT THE REFUGEES WAS LIMITED, THE NATION HAS RESOLVED TO ACCEPT THEM FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS AND THE AMICABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND KOREA UNQUOTE.
3 SOME PRESS REPORTS ALSO QUOTE THE MFA AS SAYING THAT HMG WILL ALLOW DISEMBARKATION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ENTERING HONG KONG PORT ABOARD ANY VESSELS OF KOREAN REGISTRATION. 1 MADE IT QUITE CLEAR IN MY DISCUSSION WITH VICE MINISTER RHEE ON
26 SEPTEMBER THAT REFUGEES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ALLOWED ASHORE IN HONG KONG PROVIDED HONG KONG WAS THE FIRST SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL OF THE VESSEL CONCERNED. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THE PRESS HAVE SIMPLY GOT THIS WRONG BUT TO AVOID ANY CHANCE OF A MIS- UNDERSTANDING I SHOULD RESTATE OUR POLICY TO THE MFA IN WRITING. AS THIS POINT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY COVERED IN YOUR INSTRUCTIONS 1 SHALL BE GRATEFUL FOR OF OUR POLICY
BATES
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SEAD
ADDIKIONAL DISTRIBUTION
BOAT PEOPLE
FK & GD
UND
TED
EID
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
PS
PS/LES.
PS/R BLAKER
PO/PUS
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTASZI
HR MURRAY
HR STRATTON
IOND NG LEVNOX
CONFIDENTIAL