TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 135

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TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 205 OF 12 JULY TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE RANGOON INFO SAVING HANOI

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. THE UNHCR REPORT THAT A BURMESE SHIP, THE

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HONG KONG WITH 98 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON BOARD. THE REFUGEES, 26 MEN, 24 WOMEN, AND 48 CHILDREN WERE PICKED UP FROM A SHIPWRECK 200 MILES SOUTH EAST OF HO-CHI-MINHVILLE (SAISON). THE UNHCR UNDERSTAND THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAVE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE 'AVA" TO DOCK, AND TO PERMIT THE REFUGEES TO DISEMBARK. BURMESE AUTHORITIES HAVE ASKED THE KNHCR TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO FACILITATE THE AVA’S'' DOCKING AT HONG KONG,

2. IF THE REFUGEES WERE TO BE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK AT HONG KONG THE UNHCR WOULD BE PREPARED TO BE RESPONUIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF THEIR CARE AND MAINTENANCE THERE. THEY WOULD ALSO UNDERTAKE TO FIND THEM COUNTRIES OF RESETTLEMENT AND TO SEND THEIR KUALA LUMPUR REPRESENTATIVE, SAMPATKUMAR, TO HONG KONG TO INTERVIEW THE REFUGEES, THEY HOPE THAT IN THESE CIRVUMSTANCES THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WILL RECONSIDER THEIR DECISION.

3, GRATEFUL FOR EARLY INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RESPONSE WE SHOULD MAKE TO UNHCR'S APPROACH.

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