TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 141

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LANDED IN TAIWAN: SHOULD THIS "NOT PROVE POSSIBLE, THE H.K.G WILL,

EXCEPTIONALLY, MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THESE REFUGEES TO BE TRANSFE

R. TO H.K FOR PROCESSING BY THE LOCAL OFFICER OF THE U.N.H.C. ANY EVENT, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT KAOHSIUNG IS THE SHIP'S DECLARED FIRST PORT OF CALL AFTER THE REFUGEES WERE TAKEN ON BOARD AND IT IS THERE THAT THEY SHOULD BE LANDED.

5.

ALTHOUGH THE U.N.H.C.R IS NOT REPRESENTED IN TAIWAN, HIS REPRESENTATIVE IN H.K HAS INFORMED THE REFUGEES THAT EVERY POSSIBLE

ASSISTANCE - MATERIAL AND CTHERWISE - WILL BE PROVIDED TO ANY

AND THAT THIS WILL BE DONE, REFUGEES LANDING IN TAIWAN SEMI-COLON

6.

AS IN THE PAST, THROUGH THIRD PARTIES.

OFFERS OF RESETTLEMENT PLACES FROM THIRD COUNTRIES FOR REFUGEES ABOARD THE H.F SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE AUTHORITIES AT THE H.K.G WOULD, OF COURSE, THE FIRST SCHEDULED PORT OF CALL. WELCOME OFFERS OF PLACES FOR DIRECT ARRIVALS ALREADY LANDED IN HONG KONG, MOST OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SUCH OFFERS FOR MANY MONTHS.

7.

THERE IS EVERY REASON TO FEAR THAT IF THOSE BOARD THE H.F WERE ALLOWED TO LAND IN HONG KONG, MANY SIMILAR SHIPS MIGHT FOLLOW

THOSE WHO SUGGEST H.K LAND THE . IN ITS WAKE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

H.F REFUGEES SHOULD BE ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD WISH THE H.K.G TO DO WITH THE NEXT 15,000.

8. IF ASKED WHETHER THE H.F IS A ''GENUINE REFUGEE BOAT,

YOU MAY TELL TRUSTED CONTACTS (NOT FOR ATTRIBUTION) THAT THE PRESUMPTION IS THAT THIS WAS AN ARRANGED VOYAGE WITH PAYMENTS BEING MADE TO OFFICIALS IN VIETNAM AND THAT THE OWNER'S AND MASTER ARE ALSO INVOLVED SEMI-COLON BUT THAT FIRM EVIDENCE COULD PROBABLY ONLY BE OBTAINED THROUGH CLOSE QUESTIONING OF THE MASTER, CREW AND REFUGEES AT THE PORT AT WHICH THEY ARE LANDED.

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