TNAG-0793-FCO40-997-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 98

CRS60

FIDENTIAL

FCO 231830Z NOV 78

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 882 OF 23 NOVEMBER

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.

2 4 NOV 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

PA

ра

REGO KY

Action T

un

CLE

INFO ROUTINE MOD DEFENCE SECRETARIAT 4(C) AND 5 AND DNOT.

299

ORR'S LETTER 16 NOVEMBER TO MORGAN: VISIT OF FLEET ANXILIARY VESSEL QUOTE SIR GALAHAD UNQUOTE : REFUGEES

1. WE AGREE WITH THE GUIDANCE YOU HAVE GIVEN THE ROYAL NAVY AS IN PARA 2 SUB-PARA (A) To-(C) of TO OF

LETTER UNDER REFERENCE. ON SUB-PARA (D), WE DOUBT

THAT ANY REFUGEES RESCUED AND (IF THEY COULD NOT BE LANDED AT THE NEAREST PORT) SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN TO HONG KONG, COULD BE

ACCEPTED BY OTHER COUNTRIES WITHIN SEVEN DAYS,

OUR INCLINATION. THEREFORE, WOULD BE FOR THE VESSEL TO CONTINUE

ITS VOYAGE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. HOWEVER, DECISIONS ON

307

THIS WOULD NEED TO DE TAKEN IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANY RESCUE OPERATION BE UNDERTAKEN.

OVEN

FILES

UND

SEAD

HK & GD

M & VD

DEF D

NEWS D

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/MR. LUARD

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR.WEIR

MR. MURRAY

MR, FIGG

COPIES TO:

MR.C.BIRT

HOME OFFICE, LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON.

CONFIDENTIAL