TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 275

170

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFI

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 120124Z JUL 79

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 973 OF 12 JULY

AND TO IMMEDIATE ROME

135

HKK 243/1

PA H

ROME TELNO 264 TO FCO AND FCO TELNO 118 TO ROME: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

1246

130S

1. WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE ITALIAN EXPEDITION WITH THE CONSUL-GENERAL HERE AND HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO ASSEMBLE BY 2 AUGUST A GROUP OF AT LEAST 100 REFUGEES WILLING TO GO TO ITALY WHO COULD BE COLLECTED HERE IF THE SHIPS DO NOT MANAGE TO RESCUE ENOUGH AT SEA. HE WILL FOLLOW THIS UP WITH HIS AUTHORITIES. MEANWHILE GRATEFUL IF ROME WOULD ASSURE THE ITALIANS THAT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COOPERATE IF THEY DECIDE TO SEND ANY OF THE SHIPS

HERE.

2. THE ITALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY AREA IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS NEAR HONG KONG WHERE THE SHIPS MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESCUE REFUGEES. WE TOLD HIM THAT NEARLY ALL THE REFUGEES REACHING HONG KONG, WHETHER FROM THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH, COME ALONG THE CHINESE COAST WITHIN TERRITORIAL WATERS AND THAT IT WOULD NOT, THEREFORE, BE POSSIBLE TO PLAN A SEARCH AREA NEAR HONG KONG

MACLEHOSE

FILES

SEAD

HK & GD

UND

FED

EESD

NAM D

SAD

EID

PUSD

OID

IPD

NEWS D M & VD

PS

PS/LPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

· SIR A PARSONS

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

MR STRATTON

LORD NG LENNOX

ADDITIONAL DISTN

BOAT PEOPLE

CONFIDENTAL