TNAG-0881-FCO40-1091-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 178

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr I Hamili

Room 7257, DS8

Ministry of Defence

Main Building

Whitehall

LONDON SW1

233-4439

HKK 243/1

LO IN RIGHT

13 FEB 1979

No

अअर

10.51

Ji312 LQE

361

13 February 1979

REQUEST FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR ASSISTANCE WITH AIR RECONNAISSANCE

344

1. I sent to you on 9 February a copy of the Hong Kong Govern- ment's telegram No 240 of 9 February asking for assistance with air reconnaissance. This is required initially for at least a fortnight whilst the only aircraft available in Hong Kong for such work is undergoing a compulsory maintenance overhaul.

2. The need for air reconnaissance to give early warning of the arrival of ships from Vietnam with large numbers of refugees on board is very important at this time. I therefore strongly endorse the Hong Kong Government's request. I also hope that you will be able to provide this assistance without any additional cost. The arrival in Hong Kong in the last two months of two ships with some 6,000 refugees from Vietnam on board has already involved the Hong Kong authorities in very considerable expense and I hope that you will therefore be able to bear the cost of this assistance.

P J Williamson

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL