TNAG-0791-FCO40-995-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 100

169

ePS 200

MEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM BANGKOK 0809352 MAY

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 205 OF 3 MAY

AND TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONGKONG

REL PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA

See 80

ра

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

- 9 MAY 1978

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

77

74

5721

صلا

YOURTEL NO. 359 AND HONGKONG TELNO(573) TO YOU: VIETNAMESE

REFUGEES ABOARD MV SIBONGA''

WE CONFIRM THAT VESSEL SAILED AT 1390 HOURS ON 6 MAY WITH

REMAINING SEVENTEEN REFUGEES ON BOARD AND ETA HONG KONG AT 1430

HOURS ON 10 MAY. CAPTAIN TOLD MISS MURDOCH SHORTLY BEFORE HE

SAILED THAT HE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN HONGKONG FOR ONLY

TWELVE HOURS.

2. CAPTAIN RECEIVED DURING MORNING OF 6 MAY TELEX MESSAGE

FROM BANK LINE SINGAPORE VIA EAST ASIATIC COMPANY BANGKOK (CHARTERERS' AGENTS) THAT ** REMAINING REFUGEES WILL BE LANDED

HONGKONG. ARRANGEMENTS IN HAND WITH FCO "'.

2,

3

''

GRATEFUL YOU ADVISE WHETHER GUARANTEE CONTAINED IN YOUR TELNO 136 SHOULD STILL BE OFFERED TO THAIS (AND TO UNHCR) IN ORDER

TO EXPEDITE PROCEDURES IN ANY FUTURE CASES.

1

4. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, CAPTAIN TOLD MISS MURDOCH THAT HE FELT

HE WOULD BE PENALISED FOR HAVING PICKED UP PEOPLE IN DANGER OF

DYING AT SEA BY HONGKONG'S ORIGINALLY PROPOSED INTENTION NOT TO

ALLOW THE REFUGEES TO LAND, IT WILL BE RECALLED THAT THERE WERE

SOME ACCUSATIONS LAST YEAR THAT BRITISH SHIPS WERE REFUSING TO RESCUE

REFUGEES AT SEA (MORGAN'S LETTER TO GORING-MORRIS OF 1 FEB 77 REFERS)

TRIPP

FILES

UND

HK & GD

SEAD

HKK 243/332/1

(1977)'

COPTES TO:

119)

MR.C.BIRT HOME OFFICE,

CROYDON

M & VD

NEWS D

PS/MR.LUARD

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR.WEIR

MR.MURRAY

MR.FIGG

RESTRICTED