LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
212
13 12
TAIPEI
NNNNVV FHG R3SYSP 94
00 RUDIC
DE RUSHIP #6758 2791001
ZNY CCCCC 77H
0 051000Z OCT 78
FM AMEMBASSY TAIPEI
TO RUFHC/ SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9291
FROM:
HD: 6758
NO:
HKK 243/1
INFO RUDTC/ AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0372ED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
RUFHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0391 RUMJDH/AMCONSUL HONG KONG IMMEDIATE 8304.
BT
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE TAIPEI 0675%
E. Q 11652: N/A
TAGS: SREF, UK TW
•
10 OCT 1978
DESK DECU WDEX
ЛБ
REGISTRY
Action Taken
RE
TIMMEDIATE
SUBJECT: INDOCHINESE REFUGEES: UM REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM GROC
REF:
A. STATE 252672, P. LONDON 15994, C. TAIPEI 5658, D. TAIPEI 6734
1. SUMMARY: FOREIGN MINISTER TURNS DOWN APPEAL FOR "WELLS PARK" REFUGEES BUT NOTES EXPANSION OF REFUGEE FACILITIES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN.
2. IN THE WAKE OF OCTOBER 4 ROC TURNDOWN OF THE BRITISH REQUEST TO RECEIVE THE 343 INDOCHINESE REFUGEES WHO ARRIVED AT YAOHSIUNG ON OCTOBER 4 (REF D), I MADE A FOLLOW-UP APPEAL ON THIS ISSUE TO FOREIGN MINISTER SHEN DURING AN OCTOBER 5 APPOINTMENT ON ANOTHER MATTER.
I SAID THAT WE WERE ACTING AS A MAILMAN FOR THE BRITISH, THAT THIS WAS NOT A MATTER DIRECTLY INVOLVING US/ROC RELATIONS, BUT THAT ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS IT WOULD BE VERY DESIRABLE IF THESE REFUGEES COULD BE RECEIVED. I POINTED OUT THE UNFORTUNATE TREND WHEREBY SHIP CAPTAINS WHO FEAR DENIAL OF PORT ENTRY/TEMPORARY LANDING OF REFU- GEES HAVE BEEN REFUSING TO PICK UP REFUGEES AFLOAT ON SOUTH CHINA SEA. I RECALLED THAT IN THE "WELLS PARK" CASE THERE WAS A FLAT GUARANTEE FROM THE BRITISH
*
THAT THEY WOULD MOVE OUT THESE REFUGEES AND CITED THE PRECEDENT OF THE AVON FOREST, ADDING THAT I BELIEVED THE AVON FOREST REFUGEES WOULD NOW BE MOVED OUT RAPIDLY AND WELL BEFORE THE 90-DAY DEADLINE. FOR GOOD MEASURE, I NOTED THAT WE NOW HAVE AUTHORITY TO MOVE 22 LRP REFUGEES TO THE U.S.
3. IN A RATHER LENGTHY STATEMENT THE FOREIGN MINISTER EXPLAINED WHY HE COULD NOT ACCEDE TO THE BRITISH REQUEST. HE WAS FULLY COGNIZANT OF AND SYMPATHETIC TO THE HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED AND INDEED THE GR OC HAD A CONSIDERABLE RECORD HELPING INDOCHINESE REFUGEES IN THE PAST, A RECORD WHICH WAS OFTEN NOT AS WIDELY APPRECIATED AS THE FACTS THEMSELVES WARRANTED. HOWEVER, IN THE SITUATION AT HAND, THERE WERE PHYSICAL IMPOSSIBILITIES OF HANDLING THESE PEOPLE. WAS NO ROOM AT THE CAMP IN THE PENGHU. SHEN SAID THAT AT A CARINET MEETING THIS VERY MORNING THE PRIME MINISTER HAD REPORTED ON A PERSONAL VISIT TO THIS CAMP THAT IT WAS OVER CROWDED AND INSTRUCTED THAT REFUGEE FACILITIES PE ENLARGED IN THE PENGHU AND IF NECESSARY ON TAIWAN ITSELF - TO TAVE ACCOUNT OF ANTICIPATED FUTURE ARRIVALS
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
THERE
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