TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 197

S 200

FLASH CYPHER/CAT A

FM F C O 151336Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

Sex (142

TO FLASH HONG KONG TEL NO 628 OF 15 AUGUST

AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON AND OTTAWA INFO PRIORITY PEKING AND UKMIS GENEVA,

PA

UNS 243/4

HKK 243/1

141

REGIIVED IN REGISTRY RO. 51 1 8 AUG 1978

D

INDEX

PA

RY Action T

No Bsh CLE

mii

YOUR TEL NO 988 (NOW REPEATED TO OTTAVA): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:

QUOTE AVON FOREST UNQUOTE.

1. THE UK MANAGERS OF THE AVON FOREST, HARRISONS (CLYDE), HAVE NOW ORDERED THE SHIP TO SAIL DIRECT FOR KAOHSIUNG (TAIWAN). WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE MOST GRATEFUL FOR ANY AMERICAN EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES TO ALLOW THE REFUGEES TO LAND, PROVIDED THE APPROACHES ARE MADE IN TERMS OF YOUR PARA 3.

2. WE ARE ALSO WILLING FOR THE AMERICANS TO ADD, IF NECESSARY, THE GUARANTEE AS IN YOUR PARA 4. HOWEVER, (YOUR PARA 5) THE HOME OFFICE RECEPTION FACILITIES WOULD BE UNABLE TO COPE WITH 40 REFUGEES ARRIVING WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. WE WOULD HOPE THAT, IF THE TAIWANESE

INSIST ON THEIR IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE, THE AMERICANS AND CANADIANS, WHO HAVE MORE COMPREHENSIVE RECEPTION FACILITIES, MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM AT LEAST UNTIL THE HOME OFFICE IS READY TO RECEIVE THEM. WOULD WASHINGTON AND OTTAWA PLEASE DISCUSS THIS CONTINGENCY URGENTLY WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND DE A AND REPORT THEIR REACTIONS. AS

REGARDS THE LATTER, HARRISONS TELL US THAT THE CANADIAN COMPANY WHICH IS PART-OWNER OF AVON FOREST HAS ALREADY APPROACHED WILSON, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF CONSULAR OPERATIONS AT THE DE A, WHO ASKED TO

BE KEPT IN TOUCH.

OVEN

FILES

PS/LORD GORONNY ROBERTS

PS/MR LUARD

UND

HK r GD

MR WEIR;

SEAD

FED

NAMD

NEWS D

MR

MURRAY

COPIES то:

IMMIGRATION

~ NATIONALITY BRANCH HOME OFFICE, LUNAR ASE

CROYDON

CONFIDENTIAL