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CONTIDE: ITIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
DESK 160900Z
FM HONG KONG 160829Z JAN 79
HAKK 23/1051
NO.
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE-
TELNO.109 OF 16 JANUARY,
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
FOLLOWING FOR MCLAREN, H.K+G DEPARTMENT..
YOUR TELNO.49 : "HUEY FONG'.
Acty Takan
1. OUR PRESENT INTENTION IS TO REPROVISION THE HUEY FONG DURING
TOMORROW WITH SUPPLIES SUFFICIENT FOR FIVE DAYS. WE WILL THEN, EARLY ON THURSDAY MORNING, SET THE SCENE ESSENTIALLY AS IN PARAGRAPH 4 AND 5 OF MY TELNO.87. THE PRECISE DETAILS OF HOW WE DO THIS REMAIN TO BE DECIDED. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE A FINAL BID TO PERSUADE THE MASTER TO GO TO TAIWAN, COUPLED WITH A BROAD HINT THAT, IF HE IS NOT PREPARED TO DO SO, HE SHOULD ENTER HONG KONG WATERS, THE HINT HAS TO BE GIVEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WILL
NOT PREJUDICE THE CHANCES OF PROSECUTION WHEN HE DOES ENTER. HOW QUICKLY THE FINAL SCENE UNFOLDS WILL THEN DEPEND ON THE MASTER.
•
2. MEANWHILE WE ARE MAKING A LAST EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN THE VERY SLIM POSSIBILITY THAT THE MASTER CAN BE PERSUADED TO GO TO KAOHSIUNG, THIS INVOLVES THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE TELLING THE
REFUGEE REPRESENTATIVES TODAY THAT POTENTIAL RECIPIENT COUNTRIES ARE PREPARED TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS IF REFUGEES ARE LANDED IN TAIWAN, AND A FURTHER EFFORT THROUGH THE U.S OFFICE IN TAIPEI TO GET A MORE POSITIVE REACTION FROM THE TAIWAN AUTHORITIES,
NOR WILL WE DO NOT, HOWEVER, PIN GREAT HOPES ON THIS EXERCISE. ALLOW IT TO DISRUPT THE TIMING OUTLINED ABOVE.
WE
3. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT MR ASHLEY WAS BRIEFED HERE IN CONFIDENCE
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE WOULD AT SOME STAGE HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO LAND THE HUEY FONG PASSENGERS. IN HIS PUBLIC LETTER AND HIS APPROACH TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE HE MUST THEREFORE
REALISE THAT HE IS PUSHING AT A HALF-OPEN DOOR. WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO HIS BEING TOLD, AGAIN IN CONFIDENCE,
PRESENT THINKING.
ABOUT OUR
CONFIDENTIAL
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