TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 14

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disembarking them at their next port of call and at the prospect of refugees being shifted from one place to another without any assurance of being allowed ashore. A representative of the US Embassy telephoned last Friday evening, 23 July, on instructions, to ask us not to allow the "Ava" to leave Hong Kong in the absence of

an assurance that the refugees would be accepted elsewhere. They said that Washington remained ready to consider taking up to 39 (or even more) or the refugees who have applied for US entry visas on

condition that the refugees were first allowed to land in Hong Kong. (HM Embassy Washington have since reported that the Americans have "every expectation" of being able to accept all the refugees provided Flag this condition is met.) (Washington telegram 2549.) We told the

4) US Embassy that the matter would have to be referred to Ministers

for decision. At the same time, we asked Hong Kong to contrive to

delay the departure of the "Ava" for Yokohama, should that prove necessary, until Ministers had been consulted. Hong Kong have reported that there should be no difficulty about doing this; it is unlikely

that the "Ava" will ask to leave before Tuesday, 27 July.

4. The UNHCR has also renewed his original request that Hong Kong should admit the refugees on the understanding that his office will meet the cost of their temporary stay and assume responsibility for finding them permanent homes. A representative of the Standing Conference of British Organizations for Refugees telephoned at the end of last week to make the same request. A group of charitable organizations in the United States has also lodged a protest against Hong Kong's refusal to admit the refugees.

5. Hong Kong, with our support, have argued that they have already absorbed more than their fair share of Vietnamese refugees and that for them to admit those on the "Ava" would simply encourage other potential refugees from Vietnam and the rest of South East Asia to make for Hong Kong and, in the long run, would undermine Hong Kong's policy of returning illegal immigrants from China. Hong Kong do not set much store by the UNHCR's assurance that he will be responsible for the resettlement of the refugees once they are landed from the "Ava" since his representative made little practical contribution last year to the resettlement of the refugees from the "Clara Maersk".

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