TNAG-0887-FCO40-1097-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 168

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

IESKBY 3008092 (FCQ AND UKMIS GENEVAL

F WASHINGTON 292323Z MAY 79

TORCO:

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RECEIVED IN NO. 51

31 MAY 1979

DESK OFFICER

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NO 1279 OF 29 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG, UKTISERENEVĀPA

ROUTINE MOSCOW

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Action Pasen

(789

INFO SAVING HANOI.

YOUR TELNO 5611 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

788

see (1225

1. MR BLAKER RAISED THIS WITH WARREN CHRISTOPHER THIS AFTERNOON.

HE EXPLAINED THAT WE WERE PROFOUNDLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM TO HONG KONG, AROUND TWELVE THOUSAND IN THE LAST MONTH. THIS PROBLEM AS FAR AS HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HERE CONCERNED WAS IN ADDITION TO THE VERY LARGE NUMBERS OF

PEOPLE ARRIVING FROM THE PEOPLES' REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HONG KONG'S

CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM WAS VERY LIMITED. IN THE OPINION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT A CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT WAS

NEEDED TO ALLEVIATE MATTERS.

2. MR BLAKER SAID THAT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION HAD BEEN

HIGHLIGHTED BY THE ARRIVAL LAST WEEK AT HONG KONG OF THE

BRITISH-REGISTERED SHIP SIBONGA WITH NEARLY ONE THOUSAND

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ON BOARD. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED

THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE ACCEPTED FOR SETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED

KINGDOM AS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE BUT WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO OUR

ATTITUDE ON FUTURE CASES OF THIS KIND. MR BLAKER EXPLAINED THE UK'S

EXISTING DIFFICULTIES OVER IMMIGRATION FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE

WORLD.

3. THE SITUATION HAD NOW BEEN AGGRAVATED BY PRESSURE TO ACCEPT

SOME THREE HUNDRED REFUGEES PICKED UP BY ANOTHER BRITISH-

REGISTERED VESSEL, MV ROACH BANK, WHICH WAS NOW STANDING OFF

TAIWANESE WATERS. MR BLAKER ASKED CHRISTOPHER IF THE AMERICAN

AUTHORITIES COULD USE THEIR INFLUENCE WITH THE TAIWANESE TO

PERSUADE THEM TO ACCEPT THESE REFUGEES FROM ROACHBANK IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCEPTED INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.

CONFIDENTIAL

14. MR BLAKER