TNAG-0878-FCO40-1088-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 68

CR 7/4821/78

RESTRICTED

BY BAG

9 January 1979

P MORGAN ESQ

UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT FCO

3/1

HKK 243/

RECEIVED IN REGIST NO. 51

17 JAN1979

DESK OF****

INDEX

до

PA

RY

24

Chr

"HUEY FONG"

APPEAL FROM THE UNHCR

I attach for the record, a copy of the Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees' letter of 29 December to the Governor together with the Governor's reply of 6 January.

2.

I should explain that the date "1976" in the third paragraph of the Governor's reply was chosen because it vas in that year that the "first port of call" principle was first enunciated in Hong Kong. This was, of course, in response to the continuing refugee problem following the arrival in May 1975 of the "CLARA MAERSK" with nearly 4,000 refugees on board.

CC

P J Williamson Esq Hong Kong & General Dept F CO

DR Snoxall Esq

UK MIS

Geneva

Encl:

(I C orr)'

REDICTED

139