TNAG-0586-FCO40-719-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 147

GRS 250

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL,

E

CYPHER CAT/A

RE

6 JUL 1976

FM HONG KONG 060400Z

NXK ZV3/5Y8| NICK2V3

15y81

CONFIDENTIAL

16

رقم

19 (22

TOP COPY

TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NO 674 OF 6 JULY

INFO PRIORITY RANGOON, TOKYO, PEKING, HANOI AND VIENTIANE (VIENTIANE PLEASE PASS CONFIRMATION COPY SAVING HANOJ).

FOLLOWING FOR H KIOD.

LOCAL SHIPPING AGENTS HAVE WARNED IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT THAT A BURMESE-REGISTERED SHIP, THE 'AVA', WHICH IS DUE TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON AFTERNOON OF 7 JULY, HAS PICKED UP 98 REFUGEES BELIEVED TO BE VIETNAMESE ON 4 JULY. THE 'AVA' SAILS REGULARLY RANGOON-HONG KONG-JAPAN-RANGOON.

2. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION HAS WARNED SHIPPING COMPANY AND BURMESE

CONSULATE-GENERAL THAT THE 98 WILL PROBABLY NOT BE ALLOWED TO LAND

HERE.

3. PRESENT INFORMATION IS THAT THE SHIP WILL BE IN HONG KONG FOR

THREE DAYS AND THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WILL PROBABLY INSIST THAT THE GROUP REMAINS ON BOARD UNTIL FULL FACTS OF SITUATION ARE CLEAR. OUR STRONG PREFERENCE IS TO ACT AS WE DID WITH NON-BRITISH REGISTERED VESSELS CARRYING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHICH ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AFTER THE 'CLARA MAERSK INCIDENT LAST YEAR. WHERE THERE WERE COMPASSIONATE REASONS FOR LANDING REFUGEES, WE OF COURSE DID SO: OTHERWISE, WE REQUESTED SHIPS' MASTERS AND AGENTS TO MAKE SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR LANDING THEM ELSEWHERE. AT PRESENT, HOWEVER, WE HAVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION THAN THAT CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKD (3)

SEAD

SAD

MR CORTAZZI

MR MALE

[REPETITION TO HANOI REFERRED FOR

DEPARTMENTAL DECISION, REPEATED AS REQUESTED

TO OTHER FOSTS]

CONFIDENTIAL