TNAG-0794-FCO40-998-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1978 — Page 79

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

OR 362

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 241130Z

CONFIDENTIAL

1376

243/1

HKK 243

24 3/4 - 51

Daveð al métoYRO. 51 29 DEC1978

DESK OF

INDEX

FM HONG KONG 241000Z DEC 78

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO.1484 OF 24 DECEMBER,

No

INFO IMMEDIATE: UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,

1/29/13

TRY

en

OLE

See 379 +394

FRIORITY: PEKING, CANBERRA, MANILA, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE,

BANGKOK, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

INFO SAVING : HANOI.

375A)

M.I.P.T: 'HUEY FONG'.

WHEN FIRST

1. THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THE MASTER OF THE HUEY FONG

WILL REFUSE TO MOVE WHEN ORDERED TO DO SO TOMORROW, INTERVIEWED BY THE CAPTAIN OF HMS WASPERTON ON 23 DECEMBER, SAID THAT, IF NOT ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG, HE WOULD CAUSE THE VESSEL TO STAY''.

2. WE ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING POSSIBLE COURSES OF ACTION IN ORDER TO PUT PRESSURE ON HIM TO MOVE:

(1)

HE

ESCORT BY ONE OF H.M VESSELS. BESIDES MAKING SURE THAT THE HUEY FONG CONTINUES ON ITS PROPER JOURNEY, A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS WOULD BE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT ON THE ESCORT VESSEL FOR THE REFUGEES. HAVE ASSEMBLED ENOUGH LIFE JACKETS TO SUPPLY ALL THE REFUGEES,

WE THINK IT UNLIKELY, FOR LOGISTICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THESE ON BOARD THE HUEY FONG.

ALTHOUGH WE

(11) TO OFFER PROTECTION IN THE FORM OF NAVAL PERSONNEL IF THE

CAPTAIN SAYS THAT HE FEARS FOR HIS LIFE IF FORCED TO SAIL. THIS WOULD BE DONE WITH THE MASTERS WRITTEN CONSENT.

(111) A NAVAL PARTY TO STAY ON BOARD THE SHIP AND MAKE SURE

THAT IT SAILS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHETHER OR NOT REQUESTED BY THE MASTER, AND

יי

CONFIDENTIAL

/(1V) TOWING

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