CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 50%
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 091336Z FEB 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 242 OF 9 FEBRUARY
HKK 243/1
INVEX
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INFO PRIORITY MANILA, SINGAPORE, CANBERRA, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, BRUNEI, HONG KONG OVERNM
OFFICE LONDON.
INFO SAVING HANOI.
(337
MY TELNO 236: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.
1. YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THE TEXT OF THE INTERVIEW GIVEN YESTERDAY
BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND REPORTED IN MY TUR. OUR OBJECT- IVES IN ARRANGING FOR THIS INTERVIEW WERE AS FOLLOWS :
A. TO CLARIFY THAT THE FIRST PORT OF CALL POLICY REFERS TO PROPERLY REGISTERED SHIPS, CARRYING SURVIVORS OF GENUINE SHIPWRECKS, AND WHICH SAIL DIRECT TO HONG KONG WITHOUT ENTERING ANOTHER PORT AFTER THE SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP. (IT ALSO APPLIES, FOR PRACTICAL REASONS, TO SMALL BOATS, BUT WE
Some of SEE NO NEED TO EMPHASISE THIS AT PRESENT). THESE POINTS WERE MADE BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY WHEN INTRODUCING THE NEW LEGISLATION ON 10 JANUARY. THEY HAVE BEEN MADE MANY TIMES SINCE IN BRIEFINGS BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED MUCH EMPHASIS IN THE MEDIA. WE MUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THOSE WHO ARRIVE ON SHIPS LIKE THE HUEY FONG AND SKYLUCK HAVE NO RIGHT (LAST WORD UNDERLINED) AS SUCH TO BE LANDED AS REFUGEES IN HONG KONG (ALTHOUGH WE REALISE THAT
IN PRACTICE LANDING TENDS TO BE THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION OF EACH EPISODE):
A
B. TO PUT ON RECORD POINTS WHICH APPLY TO THE TUNG AN AND TO DO SO BEFORE IT SAILS, WITHOUT SUGGESTING THAT WE ARE CREATING. CRITERIA PARTICULARLY FOR THAT CASE. WE BELIEVE WE WOULD BE OPEN TO CRITICISM IF WE ONLY MADE THESE CRITERIA CLEAR AFTER THE TUNG AN HAD SAILED: AND
CONFIDENTIAL
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