TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 111

ساله

UNCLASSIFIED

897

2599. 1

00 SEOUL

GRS 151

UNCLASSIFIED

DESKBY 040100Z

FM FCO 011755Z JUNE 1979

IMMEDIATE SEOUL

TELEGRAM NUMBER 55: 1 JUNE 1979.

YOUR TELNO 86: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

Hkk 243/1

RECEIVED

ло

2.6.

1. THE TEXT OF THE PRESS STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DEPLORES THE MISERY INFLICTED UPON

THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM CONDEMNED BY THE

COMMUNIST REGIME WHICH EXPELLED THEM TO DRIFT THE SEAS IN

SEARCH OF REFUGE. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE

OBLIGATIONS ON MASTERS OF BRITISH SHIPS, AS ON OTHERS,

TO RESCUE THOSE ON THE HIGH SEAS WHOSE LIVES ARE IN

DANGER. BUT IT BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A DUTY ON COUNTRIES

TO WHICH THESE SHIPS ARE SAILING TO LET SUCH REFUGEES LAND

AT THE SHIPS' FIRST PORT OF CALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOM. THE AUTHORITIES IN TAIWAN HAVE REFUSED

TO FOLLOW THIS HUMANITARIAN POLICY DESPITE THE FACT THAT

MANY OF THE REFUGEES ARE OF CHINESE ORIGIN AND THAT MANY

OF THOSE ON BOARD ARE CHILDREN.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT APPEALS TO THE AUTHORITIES IN

TAIWAN TO OPEN THEIR DOORS AS WE HAVE DONE TO THE REFUGEES

ON THE M V SIBONGA. THE ONLY DESIRE OF THESE REFUGEES FROM

TYRANNY IS TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE IN FREEDOM''.

CARRINGTON

FILES

FED

HKGD UND

SEAD

SAD

EID (E)

PUSD

อ.ธ

IPD

NEWSD

PS/LPS

PS/MR BLAKER Ps/pus

SIR A DUFF

SIRA PARSONS MR CORMXXI

MRJO MOBERLY

MRMURRAY

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

MR BURLEIGH HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

MR BIRT HOME OFFICE LUNAR HOUSE

CROYDON

MR MCGEE FAO ODM

MVD

AS

1

UNCLASSIFIED