TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 146

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

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FM MANILA 329690Z JAN 79

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 402 OF 2 JANUAR

INDEX

-

INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG,

Aux91's

ENZVA,

CENT

RITY WASHINGTON

PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, CANBERRA, KUALA LUMPUR,

SINGAPORE AND BANGKOK.

SAVING TO HANOI.

MY TELNO Øgi TO HONG KONG: TUNG AN.

See 19

1. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE, BLATTER, ASKED THIS MORNING IF, NOW THE HOLIDAY IS OVER, BRITAIN IS GOING TO RESPOND TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES FROM

THE TUNG AN.

2. DLATTER HAS FINISHED INTERVIEWING THE REFUGEES AND WILL PRESENT · HIS FINDINGS TO THE MFA AT 10AM (LOCAL TIME) TOMORROW. HE SAID THERE WERE ONLY VERY FEW WITH LINKS IN THE UK, BUT HE HOPED WE COULD TAKE A CERTAIN NUMBER, ALONG WITH OTHER COUNTRIES. HE STRESSED THAT EARLY OFFERS WOULD IN HIS VIEW SOFTEN THE HARD LINE THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN SO FAR. IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE REFUGEES TO COME ASHORE AND ALLEVIATE CONDITIONS ON THE SHIP. HE EXPRESSED OPTIMISM THAT THE U.S. THE AUSTRALIANS, CANADIANS, AND THE ISRAELIS WOULD ALL MAKE OFFERS.

3. WHEN ACTING HEAD OF CHANCERY EXPRESSED PESSIMISM OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF THE UK TAKING ANY, POINTING OUT THAT THE HUEY FONG WAS ON HONG KONG'S DOORSTEP WITH ANOTHER 2,700 REFUGEES, BLATTER. ASKED WHERE HMG STOOD REGARDING THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE. FORMER REPLIED WE HAD SOUGHT CLARIFICATION ON THIS POINT.

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO HANOI.

[REPEATED.

AS REQUESTED]

BENTLEY

FILES

UND

PS

KK & GD

SEAD

FED

SAD

FID (E)

TUSD

CID

TPD

NEWS D

HVD

PS/LORD GORONWY--ROBERTS PS/HR LUARD

PS/FUS

SIR A DUFF

MR CORTAZZI

MR VEIR

MR MURRAY

1

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE

MR BIRT

LONDON

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE HOME OFFICE

LUNAR HOUSE

CROYDON

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