TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 201

CONFIDENTIAL

630

ADIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONG KONG 150915Z

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 151000Z

HKK: 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 10. 51 16 AUG 1978

DEAK OFFICER'

INDEX

RESERY

Action Tren

N.14 QE This es

(137)

Брокат

6

UND. I have

dojetin. to para 4,

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 988 OF 15 AUGUST 1978

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, PRIORITY PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA.

(136)

YOUR TELNO 626 (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ABOARD BRITISH

VESSEL ''AVON FOREST

缨

BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE FIRST SCHEDULED PORT

OF CALL PRINCIPLE, WE WOULD BE EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO LAND THE REFUGEES HERE ON ANY BASIS OTHER THAN FOR TRANSIT WITHIN A FEW DAYS, AS IN THE CASE OF THE ''SIBONGA'' (SEE MY TELNO 575). FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE UK GUARANTEE IS ONLY USED TO

SECURE AGREEMENT TO LAND FROM THE AUTHORITIES AT THE VESSEL'S

FIRST OR SUBSEQUENT PORT OF CALL (SEE PARA 1 OF MORGAN'S LETTER UNG 243/4 OF 1 AUGUST TO ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER) AND THAT IT'

PROVIDES NO REASON FOR ENCOURAGING SHIPS TO DIVER TO HONG KONG.

2. INDEED, SINCE THE RATIONALE OF THE GUARANTEE IS TO SOLVE THE

PROBLEM OF LANDING REFUGEES WITHOUT DIVERSIONS WE SEE NO REASON

WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE SO USED IN THIS CASE, PARTICULARLY SINCE 474

REFUGEES WERE LANDED HERE IN JULY FROM TAIWANESE FISHING VESSELS

(MY TELNO 873). ALTHOUGH UNHCR DOES NOT OPERATE IN TAIWAN WE

UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE ARRANGEMENTS THROUGH LOCAL

VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR REFUGEES TO BE PROCESSED THERE. ICEM CONFIRM

THAT THEY HAVE ARRANGED TRAVEL FROM TAIWAN VIA HONG KONG FOR

REFUGEES BEING RESETTLED IN FRANCE, THEY ADD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO

DIFFICULTY IN MOVING REFUGEES FROM TAIWAN TO THE UK.

3. WE HAVE LEARNT FROM THE US CONSULATE GENERAL HERE THAT THE

#

US EMBASSY IN TAIPE! IS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS CASE, PARTLY BECAUSE

THE AVON FOREST' IS AT PRESENT ON CHARTER TO A US COMPANY.

ALTHOUGH THE LOCAL AGENTS IN TAIWAN HAVE ALREADY BEEN REFUSED

PERMISSION FOR THE VESSEL TO LAND THE REFUGEES, THE US

EMBASSY IS APPARENTLY WILLING (WITHOUT REFERENCE TO WASHINGTON)

TO ASK THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES TO RECONSIDER THEIR DECISION. WE/HAVE

CONFIDENTIAL,