TNAG-0496-FCO40-561-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 95

From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

affear freville,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

22 July 1974

LAST

REF.

108

NEX

REF.

1 (336)

Thank you for your letter of 8 July with which you forwarded correspondence you had received from Mr Maurice Tracy of Hastings & Co Marine House, 15/19 Queens Road, Hong Kong. Mr Tracy's letter was about the case of Mr Li Kit, one of 119 Vietnamese illegal immigrants who were detained in Hong Kong.

Except for one man, who claimed to have been born in Hong Kong, all the 119 were returned to South Vietnam on 17 June. This followed specific assurances to us from the South Vietnamese Govern- ment that nothing serious would happen to members of the group who were victims of the syndicate which had smuggled them out of Vietnam.

When the Foreign Minister of South Vietnam called at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during his recent visit to Britain, Roy Hattersley took the opportunity to remind him of the assurances given. Mr Bac, who knew about the case, confirmed these assurances to Mr Hattersley and said that cases of violation of the immigration/ emigration laws would be tried in open court and would not be harshly punished.

I am returning Mr Tracy's letter and enclosures. We have sent copies to the Governor. I will contact you again when he replies.

Greville Janner Esq QC MP

House of Commons

Yours sincerely,

Toronary - Liberts.