(1910)
GPS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 148453Z DEC 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1756 OF 14 DECEMBER
MANIL KUALA LUMPUR BANGKOK HANOI.
im. de
CONFIDENTIAL HICK 20311
ALCITIÐ JANE YNO. 51 .17 DECIRA
AUSTRY Action Tiken
Pheep Ph. Keep in
touch with
SEAD & let me
know if
mere
information comes
in
Fol 17/12
INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA WASHINGTON SINGAPORE 'OTTAWA UKMIS GENEVA
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT CFFICE LONDON.
IT
CANBERRA TELNO 01 (NOT TO ALL) VIETNAMESE REFUGEES MORATORIUM. 1, THE SUGGESTION OF A SHIP OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM STANDING BY TO LOAD REFUGEES IS NOT REFLECTED IN OUR INFORMATION. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SIGNS THAT ACTIVE PLANNING CONTINUES IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT A SHIP NOW IN BANGKOK MIGHT SOON BE SENT TO BEN TRE BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA OF
ITS NAME.
2. WE RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT A POSSIBLE REFUGEE SHIP CALLED
THE ''VICTORY'' OR ''VICTORIA' SOME MONTHS AGO. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE ONLY TWO VESSELS ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER USING EITHER WORD SOLELY OR AS PART OF THE NAME ARE NOT INVOLVED. ONE IS IN HAMBURG AND THEOTHER SAILING BETWEEN ITALY AND THE USA. BOTH ARE LARGE, MODERN AND RELIABLY OWNED.
3. WE HAD BEEN WATCHING AN EX-ITALIAN VESSEL CALLED VICTORIA
GROUP CALLED YOUTH WITH A BUT THIS WAS SOLD IN JULY TO A MISSION " AND RENAMED ANASTASIS UNDER A CYPRIOT FLAG, OUR INFORMATION IS THAT IT IS STILL IN PIRAEUS.
4. IF THER
E IS IN FACT A VESSEL BEING LINED UP FOR A POSSIBLE RUN USING VICTORY/VICTORIA, IT COULD BE ONE OF FOUR POSSIBLE VESSELS: THE VICTORY GLAMOR, VICTORY GLEAM, VICTORY GLORY, VICTORY KING, ALL ARE OLD, TAIWANESE OWNED AND CREWED AND PANAMANIAN REGISTERED. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LAID UP IN KAOHSIUNG BUT WE ARE CHECKING. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT ANOTHER VESSEL HAS ADOPTED THE NAME, IF SO, IT COULD BE THE
/MAPLE LEAF
1916
1921
CONFIDENTIAL