TNAG-0793-FCO40-997-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 260

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اگ

HKK 243/1

239

RECEIVED IN RACAŁY KO. 51 2 5 OCT 1978

TO PRIORITY F C O TEL NO 1229 OF 24 OCTOBER 1978

AND TO IMMEDIATE HANOI.

INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

DESK

INDEX

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ten

1022

DURING THE LAST SPECIAL FLIGHT PICKING UP HONG KONG BELONGERS IN SOUTH VIETNAM, MAIDEEN TOLD OUR IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THAT HE KNEW OF PLANS BEING MADE TO GET A LARGE NUMBER OF:

REFUGEES OUT OF THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. THE IDEA IS THAT THE CAPTAIN OF A PANAMANIAN SHIP DUE TO CALL AT HO CHI MINH CITY ON 26 OCTOBER WILL BE BRIBED TO PICK UP SOME 1,500 REFUGEES ON HIS DEPARTURE AND THEN MAKE FOR HONG KONG. MARGETSON'S

LETTER TO SIMONS (SEAD) OF 6 OCTOBER DESCRIBES HOW A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT LED TO 1200 REFUGEES BEING PICKED UP BY THE SOUTHERN

CROSS.

2. IF THIS PLAN CAME TO FRUITION WE WOULD BE FACED WITH A VERY

SERIOUS SITUATION. A SERIES OF SUCH ATTEMPTS WOULD INTRODUCE AN ENTIRELY NEW DIMENSION INTO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM WHICH IT WOULD BE QUITE BEYOND OUR RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH.

3. GIVEN THE FIRM INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR TELNO 546, AND THE UNDERSTANDABLE HUMANITARIAN AND POLITICAL CONCERNS UNDERLYING THEM, WE ARE PRECLUDED FROM TRYING TO NIP THIS PROBLEM IN THE BUD BY ANY APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE. NEVERTHELESS, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURTHER LIGHT THAT HANOI CAN THROW ON THE LIKELY ACCURACY OF MAIDEENS STORY. WE MUST ALSO WARN YOU THAT IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE TRUE, WE ARE GOING TO NEED HELP.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

SEAD

HK &GD ¡.CORTAZZI MR.STRATTON

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE

IN LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL