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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
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1.6 JUL 1976
NKK 2v3,
TO PRIORITY WASHINGTOV TELNO 1543 OF 15 JULY
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INFO HONG KONG UKNIS GENEVA RANGOON PEKING KUALA LUMPUR TOKYO
INFO SAVING HANOI
43
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
LAST
ROF.
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REF.
งา
1. THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE, A BURMESE REGISTERED SHIP WITH A BURMESE MASTER, ARRIVED OFF HONG KONG ON 7 JULY WITH 99
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES OBOARD WHICH IT HAD PICKED UP FROM A
SINKING VESSEL ABOUT 200 MILES SOUTH-EAST OF SAIGON.
THE PROBLEM HAS ARISEN OF WHAT TO DO WITH THE REFUGEES.
2. YOU WILL RECALL THAT LAST YEAR THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED SOME 4,000-5,000 REFUGEES FROM THE WAR
IN VICTPAM WHILE ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR THEIR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT 20TH ESLEWHERE (MANY EVENTUALLY WENT TO THE UNITED STATES) AND IN HONG KONG. HONG KONG HAS ALSO BEEN
OBLIGED, ALBEIT RELUCTANTLY, TO ABSORB OVER 4,000 OTHER VIENTNAMESE WHO HAVE MADE THEIR WAY ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG. THE ACCEPTANCE
OF THESE VIETNAMESE REFUGGEES HAS PLACED A FURTHER STRAIN ON
KONG KONG'S ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND GIVEN RISE TO LOCAL RESENTMENT.
HONG KONG NOW FEELS THAT IT MUST HAVE REGARD TO ITS OWN PARTICULAR
INNIGRATION PROBLEMS. TO ADMIT THE REFUGEES ON THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE
WHILE CONTINUING, AS IT MUST, WITH ITS POLICY OF RETURNING ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS TO CHINA MOULD UNDERMINE THAT POLICY. HONG KONG HAS ALSO
BEEN FACED WITH VERY CONSIDERADLE PROBLEMS OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
FROM ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA BESIDES VIETNAM, ACCEPTANCE OF
THE REFUGEES ON THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE WOULD, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, SIMPLY ENCOURAGE ATTEMPTS BY MANY HORE VIETNAMESE AND SOUTH-EAST
ASIANS TO ENTER HONGKONG ILLEGALLY.
3. THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES, WITH OUR CONCURRENCE, HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED NOT TO ADMIT THE REFUGEES. THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE HAS BEEN
ALLOWED TO DOCK TO TAKE ON FRESH SUPPLIES, AND THREE OF THE REFUGEES REQUIRING HOSPITAL TREATMENT, INCLUDING A NEW-BORN CHILD, HAVE
BEEN TAKEN ASHORE. A VERY CLOSE WATCH IS BEING KEPT ON THE CONDITIONS
ABOARD THE QUOTE AVA UNQUOTE WHICH ARE AT PRESENT REPORTED SATISFACTORY. B
CONFIDENTIAL
/E. THE ON ACA
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