TNAG-0792-FCO40-996-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 54

GRS 250 IMMEDIATE

CYPHER. CAT A FM FCO 051842Z

RESTRICTED

DESKEY 060745Z

RESTRICTED

205

HKK 243/

243/1

TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 299 OF 5 OCTOBERIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

AND TO WASHINGTON

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

203

-

· 9 OCT 1978

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

·REGIOTRY Action Ten

CE

MY TELNO 759 TO HONG KONG AND TELECON MORGAN/MACINNES: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON THE QUOTE WELL PARK UNQUOTE

1. THANK YOU FOR ALERTING ICEM AND UNHCR.

2. US EMBASSY HAVE INFORMED US THAT TAIWANESE FOREIGN MINISTER HAS REJECTED OUR GUARANTEE AND HAS ALSO REFUSED EVEN TEMPORARY TRANSIT FACILITIES TO THE REFUGEES.

3. WE INTEND TO ASK THE AMERICANS TO SPEAK AGAIN TO TAIWANESE

TO REQUEST TRANSIT FACILITIES TO ALLOW THE EVACUATION OF THE

GROUP. BEFORE DOING SO, HOWEVER, WE ARE HOPING TO ARRANGE

A DEFINITE EVACUATION PLAN TO BE PUT TO THE TAIWANESE, FIRSTLY," WE ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF CHARTERING AIRCRAFT TO

PICK UP THE REFUGEES (WE HOPE UNHCR WILL MEET THE COST OF THESE OR AT LEAST THE EQUIVALENT COST OF COMMERCIAL AIR-FARES TO THE UK). SECONDLY, WE NEED TO ENSURE ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE HERE FOR THE REFUGEES ON ARRIVAL.

4. WHEN THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE FIRM, WE SHALL ASK WASHINGTON

TO REQUEST THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PUT OUR PLAN TO THE TAIWANESE

OWEN

FILES

Ps

UND

SEAD

FED

HK YGD (6)

MVD

NEWS, D

OID

PS / LORD GORONWY ROBERTS PS | MR LUARD

PSIPUS

MR CORTAZZ

MR MURRAY

MR FIGG

RESTRICTED

COPIES

To:

- BIRT, HOME OFFICE,

LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON

MR. HANDS, DISASTER

UNIT.OPM