TNAG-0654-FCO40-803-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 52

GR 260

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CYPHER CAT A

FM SING ORE 1709002 OCT

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 417 OF 17 OCT 77

AND TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG

INFO KUALA LUMPUR, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,

143

My

Enter & pa

HKK. 243/332/1

1 7 OCT 1977

ROZA

YOUR TELNO 302 AND HONG KONG TELNO 28: SINKIANG

1. WE TOOK ACTION AS INSTRUCTED WITH DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT LATE ON 14 OCTOBER (COPY OF NOTE VERBALE BY BAG). TAN TOOK

NOTE OF AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT THE CONTRAST WE DREW BETWEEN SINGAPORE'S AND HONG KONG'S POLICY OVER REFUGEES (PARA 4 OF YOUR TUR) BUT HE HELD OUT NO HOPE THAT SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT

WOULD ALTER ITS POLICY. WE SAID THAT, NEVERTHELESS, NEITHER

HMG NOR HONG KONG REGARDED THE PRESENT CASE AS A PRECEDENT.

2. TAN WAS A LITTLE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE REFERENCE TO A THREE

RATHER THAN TWO MONTH DEADLINE BEING INCLUDED IN OUR NOTE. WE HAD HOWEVER CHECKED THIS POINT WITH MFA OFFICIALS EARLIER AND HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO INCLUDE IT. TAN ASKED NONETHELESS THAT WE KEEP THE THREE MONTH LIMIT TO OURSELVES. UNHCR SHOULD,

IF NECESSARY, BE TOLD LATER THAT WE HAD OBTAINED A MONTH'S

EXTENSION AS A SPECIAL CONCESSION.

3. TAN AGREED ABOUT THE DESIRABILITY OF MINIMUM PUBLICITY.

THERE HAS BEEN NO PRESS INTEREST AS YET.

4. UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE OUR EVERY EFFORT TO PERSUADE THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO EXPEDITE THE LANDING OF THE REFUGEES,

THEY COULD NOT APPARENTLY OBTAIN THE NECESSARY MINISTERIAL

AGREEMENT BEFORE DEPARTMENTS CLOSED AT LUNCH TIME ON SATURDAY.

THE SHIP THEREFORE STAYED IN PORT UNTIL TODAY. THE REFUGEES WERE

LANDED THIS MORNING.

SMITH

FILES

UND

SEAD

SIR A DUFF MR WEIR

HK & GD

MR MURRAY

N AM D

MVD

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD

PS/PUS

RESTRICTED

COPIES TO:

MR C BIRT

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