GPS 500
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
NEX:
LAST
REGISTRY No.52
REF
12 JUN,974
(87)
REF.
74
FM HONG KONG 1208122 DKK (4/5
CONFIDENTIAL
33
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 647 OF 12 JUNE INFO PRIORITY SAIGON ROUTINE
PEKING.
(26)
(21)
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 621 AND YOUR TELEGRAM NO 536. ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH VIETNAM.
WE ARE BEING SERIOUSLY EMBARRASSED BY DELAY IN REACHING DECISION. PRESS ARE MAINTAINING CONTINOUS INTEREST. A PETITION FROM
ABOUT 30 LOCALS CLAIMING KINSHIP WITH MEMBERS OF THE GROUP HAS
BEEN PRESENTED AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE ASKING PERMISSION FOR GROUP TO
STAY IN HONG KONG, NCNA ARE REPORTED TO HAVE RECIEVED A PETITION
OF SOME KIND AS WELL. GROUP HAVE BEEN IN DETENTION FOR TEN
DAYS ALREADY AND THERE IS A STRONG RISK THAT LOCAL LAWYERS WILL: SEEK TO BRING MATTER TO COURTS. LATEST DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN ARRIVAL
OF TELEGRAM THIS MORNING FROM ENNALS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ASKING
THAT WE QUOTE DELAY DEPORTATION UNQUOTE IN HOPE THAT ASYLUM IN THIRD
COUNTRIES WILL BE GIVEN AND SAYING THAT HE EXPECTS TO MEET
GOVERNOR IN UK NEXT WEEK. AMNESTY'S REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG
HAS ALREADY APPEALED IN SIMILAR SENSE, EXPRESSING HOPE THAT WE
DEAL WITH MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AS INDIVIDUALS,
2. WE HAVE NOW REACHED POINT WHERE UNLESS WE ACT VERY SOON WE
SHALL HAVE LOST THE OPPORTUNITY OF REMOVING THESE ILLEGALS BEFORE IT BECOMES A MAJOR PUBLIC ISSUE. SEEN FROM HERE, ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF IMMEDIATE REMOVAL ARE:
(A) THE NEED TO DISCOURAGE OTHER ILLEGAL GROUPS FROM VIETNAM FROM TAKING AYSLUM IN HONG KONG FOR GRANTED:
B) THE DANGEROUS PRECENDENT WHICH WOULD BE SET BY ALLOWING THEM TO STAY, OPENING THE GATES TO SIMILAR GROUPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL E.G, CAMBODIA:
CONFIDENTIAL
/(C) RETENTION
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