1N)
JR 300
UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO 281548Z MAY
TO FLASH GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO 325 OF 28 MAY
INFO FLASH ATHENS (FOR PS/S OF S)
INFO FLASH WASHINGTON (FOR PS/MR BLAKER)
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
HKK 2433
RECEIVED IN PENG ̋SY HJ.
2.9 MAY BE
DESK ONLEN
INDEX
PA
J315
751
Dy
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS NEW YORK, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA AND MANILA.
YOUR TELNO 647 (NOT TO ALL) AND TELEPHONE CONVERSATION CORTAZZI/GOVERNOR: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY NO, 10 AT
1530 BST TODAY:-
BEGINS
see 776
THE PRIME MINISTER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HOME SECRETARY
AND THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY HAS DECIDED ON
HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS THAT THIS COUNTRY WILL ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM ON BOARD
MV SIBONGA WHO WERE RESCUED ON THE HIGH SEAS.
THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.
IN. TAKING THIS DECISION THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT STRESSES
THAT IT CANNOT MAKE ANY GENERAL COMMITMENT ABOUT SIMILAR
ACTION IN FUTURE, CONSULTATION WILL BE PURSUED URGENTLY
WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE WHOLE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES FROM INDOCHINA,
ENDS
2. NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES.
(A) IF ASKED ABOUT REFUGEES ON THE ROACHBANK:
BEGINS
SUCCESSIVE BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE AGREED
TO RECEIVE AS A LAST RESORT REFUGEES PICKED
UP ON THE HIGH SEAS BY BRITISH REGISTERED
SHIPS WHERE LIFE WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN
ENDANGERED.
ENDS
/ (B)
787
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.