TNAG-0793-FCO40-997-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 237

GR 205

MEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 270851Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

3 0 OCT 1978

DESK OFFICER INDEX

No

REGISTRY Action Ten

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.1238 OF 27 OCTOBER 78,

INFO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK,

PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA,

ра

(251

This is useful in

-Hkeyer,

ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

(249

10.7.

YOUR TELNO.330 TO UKMIS GENEVA AND MY TELNO.116 TO BANGKOK :

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

1. MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INTERVENTION. YOUR VIEW ON THE MORAL

RESPONSIBILITIES OF COUNTRIES OF REGISTRATION COINCIDES WITH OUR OWN, ALTHOUGH WE FEAR THAT THE LIBERIANS WILL NOT COME UP TO

SCRACH.

2. OWNERSHIP OF THE VESSEL IS CONFUSED BY A WEB OF INTERLOCKING

COMPANIES, ALTHOUGH ULTIMATE CONTROL APPEARS TO BE IN THE HANDS

OF HONG KONG INTERESTS. WE DO NOT, HOWEVER, CONSIDER THIS TO BE IMPORTANT FOR THE REASONS IN PARA.1 OF YOUR TEL UNDER REF.

3. THE AMERICANS TELL US THAT UNHCR IS NOW HOPING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO LAND ALL THE REFUGEES IN BANGKOK UNDER A GUARANTEE THAT UNHCR WILL ARRANGE TO MOVE THEM ON WITHIN THREE MONTHS. WE HOPE THIS IS SO. SHOULD THE THAIS SUGGEST THAT HONG KONG OUGHT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM, WE HOPE THE POINT CAN BE MADE FORCIBLY THAT WE APPLY THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE (AT GREAT

INCONVENIENCE TO OURSELVES) AND WOULD DO SO FOR A THAI-REGISTERED OR OWNED SHIP ALTHOUGH, SO FAR AS WE KNOW, NO SUCH CASE HAS YET OCCURED.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

SEAD

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

HK & GD

UND

MR CORTAZZI

MR WEIR

CONFIDENTIAL