TNAG-0894-FCO40-1104-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 305

GPS 235

CONFIDENTAL

1337

_HKK 2431

CONFIDENTAL

FM HONG KONG 1103042 JUL 19

PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.965 OF 11 JULY,

INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE.

DESK

INDEX

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES CHARTERING OF SHIP BY BRITISH

CHARITABLE ORGANISATION.

1. WE HAVE HAD REPORTS OF ENQUIRIES BEING MADE ON THE LONDON

CHARTER MARKET (AND OF THESE BEING PASSED TO THE HONG KONG CHARTER MARKET) FOR A ''TWEEN-DECKER'' VESSEL OF 2-5,000 TONS DEAD WEIGHT, PREFERABLY WITH A BRITISH FLAG, TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE SINGAPORE/HONG KONG AREA 15 25 JULY FOR A

30-DAY TIME CHARTER. THE PURPOSES ARE SAID TO BE SUCCOUR,

AID AND MEDICAL RELIEF FOR REFUGEES FOUND IN THE SOUTH CHINA

SEA. WE ASSUME THAT THE ENQUIRIES EMANATE FROM A BRITISH

CHARITABLE ORGANISATION. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN OBTAIN

CONFIRMATION AND FURTHER DETAILS INCLUDING THE ORGANISERS

FROM THE BALTIC EXCHANGE.

2. YOU WILL NO DOUBT CONSIDER URGENTLY MAKING CLEAR TO THE

ORGANISERS WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE LETTING

THEMSELVES IN FOR (INCLUDING, OF COURSE, THE QUESTION OF DISPOSAL) IF THE OBJECT IS TO GATHER UP REFUGEES AT SEA AS

DISTINCT FROM GIVING AID TO THOSE ALREADY ASHORE OR MERELY

EN-ROUTE. THE TYPE OF SHIP BEING SOUGHT SUGGESTS THAT THE

FORMER IS WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND. IN VIEW OF THE STATED

PREFERENCE FOR THE BRITISH FLAG, THEY MAY BE REGARDING THE

''SIBONGA'' AS A PRECEDENT. MACLEHOSE

see (1354)

FILES

NEWS D

SEAD

M & VD

HK & GD

PS

UND

FED

EESD

N AX D

SAD

EID

PUSD

OID

IPD

PS/LPS

PS/KR HURD PS/ER BLAKER PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

SIR A PARSONS

MR CORTAZZI

KR MURRAY

MR STRATTON

ADDITIONAL DISTN

BOAT PEOPLE

CONFIDENTAL