CONFIDENTIAL
3. THE REFUGEES SAID THEY HAD ALMOST COMPLETED A LIST OF PERS AL
DETAILS OF THOSE ABOARD, INCLUDING RELATIVES OVERSEAS. THIS SHOWED
THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT 3400, NOT 2700 AS THEY HAD ORIGINALY TOLD US. RASANAYAGAM SAID HE COULD USE THESE DETAILS TO MAKE PRELIMINARY SETTLEMENT ENQUIRIES (BUT NOT FROM HONG KONG) AND ALSO SEND THEM TO THE AUTHORITIES IN TAIWAN IF THE SHIP
WENT THERE.
4. THE MASTER CLAIMED THAT SEAWATER USED TO CLEAN THE DECKS HAD
SEEPED INTO THE HOLDS AND THAT THE VESSEL WAS CONSEQUENTLY LESS
SEAWORTHY. IN THIS CONTEXT HE SAID, SIGNIFICANTLY: ''IF WE SAIL, WE WILL NEED AN ESCORT''. THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE FLEW OVER THE SHIP TODAY AND SAW NO EVIDENCE THAT IT IS NOT SEAWORTHY.
5. THE REFUGEES SAID THEY HAVE NO OUTSTANDING REQUESTS FOR
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
6. RASANAYAGAM GAVE THE REFUGEES LOCAL NEWSPAPERS DESCRIBING OUR
NEW LEGISLATION. THERE WERE NO COMMENTS BUT THE MASTER PRESUMABLY ALREADY KNEW OF THIS FROM HIS TELEPHONE CONTACTS WITH THE PRESS.
THIS COULD ACCOUNT FOR HIS APPARENT WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER
SAILING TO TAIWAN.
7. THE REFUGEES TOOK COPIOUS NOTES DURING THE MEETING. THE INTERPRETER FROM THE U.S. CONSULATE-GENERAL (WHOSE PRESENCE AT THE MEETING IS CONFIDENTIAL) BELIEVES THAT THE REFUGEES WERE CONVINCED OF RASANAYAGAM'S SINCERITY AND HIS WISH TO HELP THEM
WHEREVER THEY ARE LANDED. THEY ASKED IF HE WAS SAYING THEY SHOULD PROCEED TO TAIWAN. HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS NOT THERE TO GIVE
ADVICE BUT THAT THEY COULD DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS.
8. WE ASSESS THAT THERE IS STILL ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THE SHIP SIALING TO KAOHSIUNG. WE WILL NOW SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER IT IS REPROVISIONED TOMORROW WITH A FURTHER 5 DAYS' SUPPLIES. RASANAYAGA HAS SUGGESTED THAT SHOULD THE "TUNG AN'' COME TO HONG KONG WITH
THE 'HUEY FONG'' STILL IN ITS PRESENT POSITION, IT MIGHT BE
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/WORTH
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