TNAG-0877-FCO40-1087-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 33

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''THE GOVERNMENT HERE WOULD BE FORCED TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT

TO CHANGE ITS REFUGEE POLICY. WERE PRESENT POLICY TO PREVAIL, THE GOVERNMENT ON TAIWAN WOULD PERMIT THE LANDING FOR TEMPORARY

REPEAT TEMPORARY SHELTER OF INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES OF CHINESE

ORIGIN. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT PRESENT POLICY

WOULD NOT BE CHANGED''.

4. THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION OF THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES

CONTRADICTS THE SUGGESTION IN THE LETTER OF 7 JANUARY FROM THE

REFUGEES ON THE 'HUEY FONG'' TO THE LOCAL U N H C R REPRESENTATIVE

THAT THE M.F.A IN TAIWAN HAD DECLARED THAT THE REFUGEES WOULD NOT

BE ALLOWED TO DISEMBARK AND THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN

INFORMED OF THIS DECISION (MY TELNO.55 PARA 1). WITH THE

AGREEMENT OF THE U.S CONSULATE-GENERAL, WE HAVE TOLD RASANAYAGAM,

HE IS OF THE PERSONAL OPINION THAT IF THE SHIP WERE TO GO TO

KAOHSIUNG THE REFUGEES WOULD, IN FACT, BE LANDED: BUT HE REMAINS, LIKE US, PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MASTER AND THE

REFUGEES AGREEING TO SAIL IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EXPLICIT STATEMENT

FROM TAIWAN THAT THE REFUGEES WOULD BE ALLOWED TO LAND THERE.

5. WE SUGGEST THAT SIR JAMES MURRAY INFORM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

OF THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE AUTHORITIES IN TAIWAN, HE MIGHT

ALSO ADD THAT WE HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD BY 1.C.E.M THAT ARRANGEMENTS

HAVE BEEN MADE FOR RESETTLEMENT IN THE U.S OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF 250 OF THE 899-0DD BOAT REFUGEES AT PRESENT IN TAIWAN,

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

UND

SEAD

WED

BAD

EID

TUSU

OID

IPD

TCVS D

HVD

IS

PS/MR.LUARD PS/PUS SIR A. DUFF MR.CORTAZZI MR.WEIR MR. MURRAY

MAR, STRATTON

MR. LEAHY

COPIES TO:

MR.BIRT, HO.,LUNAR HOUSE, CROYDON. MR. BURLEICH, MO.,QUEEN ANNE'S

GATE.

HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE, LONDON,

IR/LORD GORONLY ROBERTS

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