4
GR 740
ONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 051115Z
FM HONG KONG 051029Z JAN 79
CONFIDENTIAL.
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.39 OF 5 JANUARY,
see (47
243/1
49
HKK 243, RECEIVED IN REGAY NO. 51
DESK INDEX
Ne
8 JAN979
INFO PRIORITY: UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, MANILA, PEKING,
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,
>
INFO SAVING : HANOI.
1.
MY TELNO.24 : 'HUEY FONG'.
RE
RY
OLE
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL AWAITING FINAL CONFIRMATION OF TAIWAN'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THOSE ON THE HUEY FONG, IT IS ALREADY CLEAR THAT OUR ATTEMPTS TO GET THE MASTER TO CONTINUE HIS JOURNEY ARE LIKELY TO FAIL. IF SO, IT WILL BECOME IMPRACTICAL, FOR BOTH LOGISTIC AND PRESENTATIONAL REASONS, TO CONTINUE SUPPLYING THE SHIP WHERE
IT IS FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD.
2. ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE NEW LEGAL POWERS WE WISH TO TAKE ARE
ACCEPTABLE TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCL ON WEDNESDAY 10 JANUARY, OUR PRESENT THINKING IS THAT WE WOULD BRING THE HUEY FONG INTO HONG KONG WATERS SOME TIME IN THE SECOND HALF OF NEXT WEEK. SHE WOULD INITIALLY BE PUT IN SOME REMOTE ANCHORAGE FOR PRELIMINARY PROCESSING OF THOSE ON BOARD.
ACTION WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE A THOROUGH MEDICAL EXAMINATION, INTERROGATION OF THE CAPTAIN AND CREW TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT
HOW THEY PICKED UP THOSE ON BOARD AND THOROUGH PROCESSING AND INTERROGATION OF PASSENGERS.
3. IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION HOW MUCH OF THIS SHOULD BE DONE
SUBSEQUENT
ON BOARD OR ON SHORE, BUT PROBABLY DETENTION FOR SOME PERIOD WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR PURELY PRACTICAL REASONS. WE MIGHT ALSO WISH TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE WERE NOT TREATING THEM AS ORDINARY REFUGEES WHO COULD IMMEDIATELY TAKE THEIR PLACE IN THE UNHCR QUEUE.
THIS NEEDS FURTHER THOUGHT.
ALL
/4, PUBLIC
CONFIDENTIAL
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