TNAG-0556-FCO40-651-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 151

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CPS 120-

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FM FCO 021715Z MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 91

- 5 MAY 1975

18/25

NKK 18/25

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TO FLASH HONG KONG TEL NO 346 OF 2 MAY 1975

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INFO FLASH SIR MARTIN CHARTERIS, ROYAL PARTY ON TOUR, IMMEDIATE KINGSTON, AND WASHINGTON

COPENHAGEN TELEGRAM NO 183 (REPEATED ONLY HONG KONG)

1. MAERSK LINE VESSEL CLARA MAERSK (112,000 TONS GROSS) WITH 3,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ABOARD IS BOUND FOR HONG KONG, ETA 4 MAY AT 1800 HOURS LOCAL TIME.

2. SOLICITORS FOR MAERSK LINE IN LONDON WHO ALSO INFORMED US OF THIS DO NOT KNOW WHETHER SHIP IS TANKER OR BULK CARRIER AND DO NOT KNOW CONDITIONS ON BOARD. WE HAVE TOLD THEM THAT TIME OF ARRIVAL PROPOSED CLASHES DIRECTLY WITH ARRIVAL OF H.M. THE QUEEN, AND THAT THEREFORE IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO DELAY ARRIVAL WITHOUT UNACCEPTABLE HARDSHIP THIS WOULD FACILITATE TO SOME EXTENT HANDLING IN HONG KONG. BUT AN EMERGENCY REQUIREMENT WOULD OVER-RIDE. WE MADE CLEAR, HOWEVER THAT HONG KONG WOULD WISH WITHOUT DOUBT TO DO ALL POSSIBLE TO HELP.

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