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TO IMMEDIATE MANILA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3 OF 4 JANUARY
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HKK 243/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 - 8 JAN1979
38
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Action
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INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON
PEKING CANBERRA KUALA LUMPUR SINGAPORE BANGKOK
3
S
YOUR TELNO S 1 AND 2 AND HONG KONG TELIO 19: TUNG AN’'
1. THE FIRST PORT OF CALL PRINCIPLE IS A REASONABLE AND HUMANE CRITERION, ACCEPTED BY THE UNHCR. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IN THAT SPIRIT, HAVE GIVEN SHELTER TO MANY REFUGEES LANDED BY SHIPS ON THAT BASIS. IT WAS HOPED THAT. A WIDE SPREAD ADHERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLE WOULD HELP TO SPREAD THE BURDEN WITHIN THE REGION BY PREVENTING PARTICULAR COUNTRIES FROM DECOMING DUMPING CROUNDS FOR REFUGEES. HOWEVER, TO WORK EFFECTIVELY THIS WOULD HAVE. TO BE ACCEPTED THROUGHOUT THE REGION AS A WHOLE, WHICH IS NOT
THE CASE.
2. AND NOW THE REFUGEE PROBLEM HAS TAKEN ON A NEW CHARACTER AND
DIMENSION. THERE IS A LARGER AND MOR COMMERCIALLY MOTIVATED
TRAFFIC IN REFUGEES. NEW MEANS MAY YET HAVE TO BE FOUND TO COPE WITH THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE DEL MEERATE DIVERSION OF SHIPS SUCH AS THE HUEY FONG'' AND THE TUNG AN' TO PORTS OTHER THAN
THE IR SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS.
''
3. YOU SHOULD PREFERABLY NOT RAISE THE SUBJECT BUT IF APPROACHED
YOU MAY TELL THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE AND THE FILIPINO AUTHORITIES
THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING POLICIES THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'
WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FOR RESETTLEMENT FROM ANY
OF THE TUNG AN'' REFUGEES WHO HAVE CLOSE TIES WITH THE UK AND
WHO EXPRESS A DESIRE FOR RESETTLEMENT HERE. IF YOU ARE PRESSED
CN WHETHER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD ALLOW THE
**TUNG AN'' REFUGEES TO LAND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FIRST PORT OF
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/CALL PRINCIPLE,
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