TNAG-0791-FCO40-995-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 112

IMMEDIATE'

CYPHER/CAT A

GRPS 335

FM HONG KONG 041800Z

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DESKBY FCO 041160Z

DESKBY BANGKOK 050200Z

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TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.567 OF 4 MAY 78,

INFO IMMEDIATE: BANGKOK AND UKMIS GENEVA,

(65)

(48)

PA

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 - 5 MAY 1973

DESK

INDEX

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GANGBAN. Sa

68

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:

BANGKOK TELNOS.196 AND 197 TO F.C.0:

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ABOARD M.V. ''SIBONGA''.

1. WE WOULD BE EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THESE REFUGEES.

IT WOULD BE A MAJOR BREACH IN OUR POLICY OF ONLY ACCEPTING

REFUGEES WHEN HONG KONG IS THE FIRST PORT OF CALL. IT WOULD

BE DIFFICULT TO DEFEND LOCALLY AND WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNTRIES

IN THE REGION TO EXPECT ALL U.K-REGISTERED VESSELS TO TAKE REFUGEES TO HONG KONG FOR PROCESSING WHEREVER THEY HAVE BEEN

PICKED UP.

2. WE GATHER THAT THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION IN LONDON OF THE

POSSIBILITY OF THE U.K GIVING UNDERTAKINGS IN RESPECT OF REFUGEES PICKED UP BY U.K-REGISTERED VESSELS. WE HOPE THAT ANY NEW POLICY COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN THIS CASE. IF THE

THAIS CAN BE GIVEN AN UNDERTAKING WE HOPE UNHCR CAN ALSO BE ASKED TO PRESS FOR DISEMBARKATION AT THE FIRST PORT OF CALL.

THE CONVENIENCE OF HONG KONG TO THE AMERICANS IS NO ARGUMENT

FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THIS PRINCIPLE.

3. WE THINK IT WOULD HELP IF INSTRUCTIONS COULD BE SENT TO

BANGKOK EARLIER THAN THEIR SUGGESTED DEADLINE: OUR EXPERIENCE

HERE SUGGESTS THAT UNHCR WOULD NEED TIME TO CONVINCE THE

REFUGEES THAT THEIR ONWARD MOVEMENT WILL NOT BE PREJUDICED

BY PROCESSING IN BANGKOK.

RESTRICTED

4. AS A LAST