HKRGD (20)
HAKK Qu3/1 o. Cappy le HKAGD
TOTLEGSAN
RECEIVED
IND
JAN 1979
OFFICER
NO. 51
R20
Actio
NATIONS UNIES JUNIED NATIONS
Then pa
Mil.
SERVICE DE FINFORMATION
INFORMATION SERVICE
OFFICE DES NATIONS UNIES A GENEVE
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
Press Release REF/1375 12 December 1978
Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
JOINT IMCO/UNHCR APPEAL TO INCO MEMBER STATES
The following appeal was issued jointly by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees today to IMCO Member States:
Sir,
Have honour refer to problem of persons leaving Indochinese. Peninsula in small boats. Their perilous situation is well known. Many have been rescued on high seas from sinking or unseaworthy craft. Some report that vessels ignored their distress signals. Others may therefore have perished not only because rescue was not at hand but after such disregard of their plight.
The
These persons are of specific concern to the Office of UNHCR. High Commissioner is aware of the great difficulties that masters have encountered in disembarking refugees after rescue and of the financial consequences resulting from delays in disembarkation. He is deploying every effort to ensure that such difficulties are overcome and that humanitarian considerations prevail.
The numbers at risk after taking to high seas have increased dramatically in recent months. We therefore invite your Government kindly to consider favourably the possibility of instructing or renewing instructions to masters of vessels flying the flag of your country to ensure that maritime traditions and the applicable provisions of international instruments regarding rescue at sea are duly honoured in order to save the lives of these unfortunate persons.
We would also appeal to your Government to allow or continue to allow such persons to be disembarked in your ports after rescue whatever the flag of the rescuing vessel. Such action would contribute to saving life at sea by encouraging masters and owners of potential rescuing vessels to fulfil
Les communiques sont destines a l'information, il ne constituent pas des documents officiels
For use of information media, not an official record
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