TNAG-0587-FCO40-720-Aid-from-UK-for-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 206

GR 175

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

119

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 040745Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 040830Z

v 2,

**2. 51

4 AUG 1976

HIK2V3 HICK 243/5

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 773 OF 4 AUGUST

INFO PRIORITY "KMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON AND JAKARTA.

ROUTINE RANGOON.

INFO SAVING HANOI (VIENTIANE PLEASE PASS).

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

LAP:

CEF.

།;:}

125,

WE SHALL SHORTLY HAVE ANOTHER CASE OF A SHIP ARRIVING WITH VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ABOARD.

2. THE PANAMANIAN REGISTERED PASSENGER LINER ''MEIABETO" IS DUE TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG TOMORROW (5 AUGUST) AT 0730 HOURS WITH 19 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON BOARD, THEY WERE PICKED UP IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA RECENTLY,

3. THE SHIP'S LAST PORT OF CALL WAS JAKARTA. SHE IS DUE TO UNDERGO REPAIRS WHILE AFLOAT FOR SEVEN DAYS, THEREAFTER SHE WILL ENTER DRY DOCK FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. WE BELIEVE SHE WILL THEN PROBABLY

RETURN TO JAKARTA.

4. SUBJECT TO THE USUAL INSPECTION BY MARINE, IMMIGRATION AND POLICE

AUTHORITIES ON ARRIVAL, DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION'S PRESENT INTENTION IS THAT THE 19 REFUGEES SHOULD BE LANDED QUICKLY AND QUIETLY, AND

HANDED OVER AT ONCE TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNHCR. BUT A

CONFIDENTIAL

/DECISION