RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 236
OF 07025OZ JUNE 89
(CORRECTED VERSION)
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HKB 020/14
(
31
164545
MDHIAN 7977
SPECIAL FLIGHT FROM PEKING
1. A TOTAL OF SOME 350 PASSENGERS ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AT APPROXIMATELY 0130 HRS ON 7 JUNE ON BRITISH AIRWAYS SPECIAL FLIGHT BA28. I AND OTHER SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE TRADE COMMISSION STAFF, THE ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER, AND THE BRITISH COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND OTHERS OF HIS STAFF WERE THERE TO MEET THEM. THE HONG KONG POLICE ALSO PROVIDED INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE.
2. A NUMBER OF UK PRESS AND TV REPRESENTATIVES WERE PRESENT BUT, IT APPEARED, NONE FROM HONG KONG.
3. WE HAD HASTILY IMPROVISED CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR LOOKING AFTER THOSE PASSENGERS NEEDING ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING ACCOMMODATION. IN THE EVENT FEW REQUIRED HELP EXCEPT THE GROUP OF SOME 120 BRITISH STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM APPARENTLY HAD LEFT HASTILY AND WITH FEW POSSESSIONS. ALL WERE CLEARED QUICKLY BY THE AIRPORT AUTHORITIES AND EVERYONE WAS OUT OF THE AIRPORT BY APPROXIMATELY 0330. THE POLICE ARRANGED FOR SOME 80, ALMOST ALL STUDENTS, TO BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL. THE BRITISH COUNCIL AND OURSELVES PROVIDED PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION FOR MOST OF THE OTHER STUDENTS. WE ARE NOW IN TOUCH WITH THE HONG KONG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT OVER ASSISTANCE IN ARRANGING ONWARD TRAVEL FOR THOSE STUDENTS, WHICH IS PRESUMABLY THE MAJORITY, WITH NEITHER TICKETS NOR IMMEDIATE MEANS TO BUY THEM. BRITISH AIRWAYS HAD ARRANGED A LARGE BLOCK HOTEL BOOKING FOR UP TO 200 OTHER PASSENGERS, BUT IN THE EVENT ONLY ABOUT 30 TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
4. THE STUDENTS AND OTHER PASSENGERS WERE ALL IN VERY GOOD HEART AND MANY EXPRESSED THEIR CONSIDERABLE GRATITUDE FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE PEKING EMBASSY, AND ALSO BRITISH AIRWAYS STAFF FOR HANDLING THEIR DEPARTURE FROM PEKING SO SMOOTHLY.
5. THERE HAS BEEN SOME FURTHER U K MEDIA INTEREST THIS MORNING,
7 JUNE, TO WHICH WE ARE RESPONDING WITH FACTUAL INFORMATION OF WHAT
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