TNAG-0791-FCO40-995-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 103

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3. OUR ONLY ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO REFUSE PERMISSION FOR ANY

OF THE REFUGEES TO LAND ON THE GROUNDS THAT HONG KONG IS NOT THE

FIRST PORT OF CALL, WE WOULD BE JUSTIFIED IN DOING THIS (AND

CAUSING DIFFICULTIES FOR THE SHIP'S ONWARD MOVEMENT) IN LIGHT

OF THE CAPTAIN'S REFUSAL TO ALLOW TIME FOR YOUR GUARANTEE TO

BE PUT TO THE THAIS. HOWEVER WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MUCH

BETTER ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS TO ACT AS IN PARA 2. PENDING YOUR REPLY WE PROPOSE TO ALLOW THE SHIP TO DOCK BUT NOT TO ALLOW

ANY OF THE REFUGEES ASHORE.

4. A FURTHER 100 SMALL BOAT REFUGEES ARRIVED ON 6 AND 7 MAY

AND WILL BE PROCESSED IN THE NORMAL WAY. THE CONTINUING PRESSURE

ON RESOURCES HERE FROM REFUGEES FOR WHOM HONG KONG IS THE FIRST

PORT OF CALL REINFORCES THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT EXCEPTIONS TO

OUR GENERAL RULE ARE LIMITED TO CASES IN WHICH RAPID ONWARD

MOVEMENT IS GUARANTEED.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

UND

HKGD

SEAD

MVD

NEWS D

PS/MR.LUARD

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR.WEIR

MR.MURRAY MR.FIGG

2 - RESTRICTED

COPIES TO:

MR.C.BIRT, HOME OFFICE,

1

CROYDON.