Mr Murray
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VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SIBONGA AND ROACHBANK
1.
I received a telephone call late this afternoon from Mr Davey of the General Council of British Shipping (telephone No. 283 2922) on behalf of the Bank Line. He said that the Roachbank, with its 293 refugees, was due to arrive off Taiwan in 24 hours. The Bank Line's agents in Taiwan had already reported that the Taiwanese authorities would not permit the refugees to land. The ship would be made to wait outside Kaohsiung and would lose more money the longer it was kept waiting. What was the British Government going to do?
2. I drew attention to the Lord Privy Seal's statements in the House of Commons this afternoon. The Government were considering the whole question urgently and I could not say when a decision would be reached. Mr Davey said that he assumed there would be no point in the Roachbank diverting to Hong Kong. I replied that the Hong Kong Government had confirmed that there would be no possibility of its being allowed to land its refugees there.
3. The Bank Line have also been on to the department twice today, asking for news of the Government's attitude and stressing the financial aspects (without, however, giving any figures). They were given the same answer.
Rufanduma
24 May 1979
R JT McLaren
Hong Kong and General Department
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Mr Cortazzi
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