PP UKMIS GENEVA
GR 550
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 161845Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NUMBER 142 OF 16 JULY
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF HONG KONG
DEPT WAS RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO TELEGRAM NO 693 OF 8 JULY
INFO PRIORITY RANGOON TOKYO PEKING HANOI AND VIENTIANE (PLEASE PASS CONFIRMATION COPY SAVING HANOI).
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 674 OF 6 JULY: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
M.V. 'AVA' NOW LIES JUST OUTSIDE HONG KONG TERRITORIAL WATERS AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS FROM RANGOON. IT IS A STATE-OWNED VESSEL, WITH BURMESE MASTER AND CREW. MASTER HAS STATED THAT HE HAS ON BOARD 99 VIETNAMESEW WHOM HE RESCUED FROM FLOUNDERING FISHING BOAT AFTER SIGHTING OF DISTRESS FLARES.
2. MEANWHILE A SECOND VESSEL WITH 16 VIETNAMESE ABOARD DECLARED ITSELF TO THE POLICE ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG ON 7 JULY. THE GROUP SAID THEY WERE REFUGEES FROM DANANG WHICH THEY LEFT ON 4 JULY. LEADER OF PARTY (WHICH IS WELL-TO-DO) HAS CONFIRMED THEY ORIGINALLY HAD NO INTENTION OF HEADING FOR HONG KONG AND THEY
APPEAR WILLING TO LEAVE FOR AN ALTERNATIVE DESTINATION PROVIDED
THEY CAN BE ASSURED THAT THIS CAN BE DONE IN SAFETY. WE ARE
EXPLORING THIS POSSIBILITY WITH THE CREW, WHO ARE CONFINED TO THEIR VESSEL FOR THE TIME BEING. THEY HAVE FORMALLY BEEN REFUSED
PERMISSION TO LAND.
3. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION MET BURMESE CONSUL-GENERAL, MR THET WE, ON 8 JULY TO DISCUSS THE REFUGEES ON M.V. 'AVA'. CONSUL- GENERAL EXPLAINED THAT THE MASTER OF THE AVA' WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT HIS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR DETENTION OF THE REFUGEES ON
BOARD AND WAS UNWILLING TO ENTER HONG KONG UNTIL THIS WAS
RESOLVED. THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE PRESENT INDICATIONS WERE
THAT THE REFUGEES WOULD BE REFUSED LANDING AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THEIR DETENTION LAY WITH THE MASTER. CONSUL-GENERAL WAS TOLD
THAT WHILST HIS DIFFICULTIES WERE APPRECIATED, HONG KONG WAS
UNABLE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY MORE REFUGEES FROM
VIETNAM AND NO EXCEPTIONS COULD BE MADE TO NORMAL POLICIES FOR
ADMISSION. MEDICAL FACILITIES WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND INDIVIDUAL
REFUGEES MIGHT QUALIFY FOR ADMISSION, BUT IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE WOULD NOT BE GRANTED UNTIL ACCEPTABLE ASSURANCES WERE RECEIVED
AS TO THE ONWARD PASSAGE OF THE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG. WITH-
HOLDING OF IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE COULD DELAY THE LOADING OR
UNLOADING OF CARGO. CONSUL-CENERAL WAS PUT IN CONTACT WITH ICE M
AND I S S IN HONG KONG. HE WILL CONVEY THE OUTCOME OF THIS
MEETING TO HIS GOVERNMENT.
4. WE THINK THAT BURMESE CONSUL-GENERAL WOULD LIKE 'AVA' TO ENTER TERRITORIAL WATERS, SO ENABLING HIM TO VISIT THE SHIP AND REPORT FURTHER TO HIS GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, MASTER HAS TOLD HIM THAT HE IS NOT SATISIFIED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REFUGEES WHO ESCAPED AND THAT HE DECLINES TO BRING THE
VESSEL INTO TERRITORIAL WATERS FOR THE TIME BEING.
5. IT IS OUR IMPRESSION THAT SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF REFUGEES IN INDO-CHINA AND THAILAND ARE WATCHING THE SITUATION CLOSELY BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO TRY TO ENTER HONG KONG ILLESGALLY. FOR WELL- KNOWN REASONS, WE THINK IT IMPERATIVE TO DISCOURAGE FURTHER POTENTIAL INFLOW OF ILLEGALS. I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE THEREFORE THAT THE ADOPTION OF A FIRM LINE IN THESE TWO TEST CASES WILL HAVE
A DETERRENT EFFECT ON FURTHER ATTEMPTS. WE SHALL OF COURSE BEAR
THE USUAL HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND.
CROSLAND
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