500
ANFIDENTIAL
DE SKRY F C 0 071030Z
DESKBY NANILA 071008Z
FM HONG KONG 871090Z FEB 79
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 224 OF 7 FEBRUARY
HKK 242/
по
29/2 ķ
Sea
O
INFO IMEDIATE MANILA, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
MY TELNO 17 TO MANILA : TUNG AN,
1. WITH THE ARRIVAL EARLY THIS MORNING OF THE SKYLUCK WITH ABOUT 3,0JG REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM ON BOARD (DETAILS BEING REPORTED SEPARATELY), IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT THE TUNG AN DOES NOT COME HERE. WE HAVE NOW HAD TO ACCEPT THE HUEY FONG (WHICH DID NOT HAVE HONG KONG AS ITS FIRST PORT OF CALL) AND THE SKYLUCK (WHICH CLAIMS THAT IT DOES). IF, IN ADDITION, THE TUNG AN ATTEMPTS TO COME HERE, AFTER EFFECTIVELY BEING IN ANOTHER PORT FOR OVER A MONTH, THERE WILL BE A MAJOR FUBLIC OUTCRY. WE ALSO HAVE INCREASINGLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS OF ACCOMMODATION.
2. H M AMBASSADOR MANILA WILL KNOW BEST IN THE LIGHT OF
CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS HOW AND WHEN FURTHER APPROACHES SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT. IN DOING SO, AND IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, WE SUGGEST THAT HE SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS :
A. WE ASSUME THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE NO ACTION INCONSISTENT WITH ITS OBLIGATION, UNDER REGULATION 19 OF THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA CONVENTION 1969 (SOLAS), TO ENSURE THAT SHIPS SHALL NOT SAIL UNTIL THEY CAN PROCEED TO SEA WITHOUT DACGER TO THE PASSENGERS AND CREW.
B. WE ASSUME THERE IS LOCAL SHIPPING LEGISLATION (AS IN HONG KONG) WHICH WOULD PREVENT A MASTER FROM SAILING HIS VESSEL INTO INTERN- ATIONAL WATERS IF IT WERE NOT REGISTERED AND FULLY DOCUMENTED, THIS POINT IS ALSO COVERED BY SOLAS SINCE DE-REGISTRATION MEANS THAT THE TUNG AN COULD NOT HAVE DOCUMENTS PROVING THAT
IT HAD ADEQUATE LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT AND WAS NOT CARRYING MORE PEOPLE THAT IT WAS CERTIFIED TO CARRY.
CONFIDENTI AL
/ 3. WE. DO NOT
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