PP PING
CONFIDENTIAL
Hek
1573 A
ا احمد
RELIVED IN REGISTLY NO. 51PA
16 AUG 1979
DESK OFFICER
REGISTER Action T
GRS 243
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 151726Z AUGUST 79
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 459 OF 15 AUGUST
INFO UKMIS GENEVA AND HONG KONG
MV RUDD BANK
1.
INDEX
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MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY CALLED ON THE DEPARTMENT ON 15 AUGUST WITH SOMEWHAT OUT OF DATE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY SEEMED TO BE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE CHINESE HAD ACTED IN GOOD FAITH AND WERE WILLING TO OFFER
TEMPORARY ASSYLUM FOR THE REFUGEES ON THE RUDD BANK. THEY
MADE A RATHER HALF-HEARTED ATTEMPT TO SUGGEST THAT BRITAIN SHOULD
OFFER TO TAKE THE REFUGEES IN ORDER TO PERSUADE THEM TO GO ASHORE.
2.
THE DEPARTMENT OUTLINED THE LATEST POSITION AS WE
UNDERSTOOD IT AND SAID THAT NOW THAT THE RUDD BANK WAS TO BE
IN SHANGHAI FOR RATHER LONGER THAN HAD FIRST BEEN ENVISAGED, WE HOPED THAT THE REFUGEES COULD BE BROUGHT TO UNDERSTAND THE POSITION AND DISEMBARK. WE HOPED THAT CASSELLA'S PRESENCE
WE
IN CHINA, AND POSSIBLY IN SHANGHAI, WOULD REASSURE THE REFUGEES THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF ANY OF THEM STAYING PERMANENTLY
IN CHINA AGAINST THEIR WILL AND THAT THE UNHCR WOULD PUT IN
HAND THE NECESSARY PROCESSING FOR THEIR ONWARD JOURNEYS.
SAID FIRMLY THAT AS THE REFUGEES ALREADY KNEW WHERE THEY
WANTED TO GO, IE PRINCIPALLY TO THE US, CANADA AND FRANCE, IT
WOULD ONLY CONFUSE MATTERS FOR BRITAIN TO CONSIDER OFFERING
TO TAKE THEM.
3.
WE THANKED THE CHINESE IN GENERAL TERMS FOR THEIR
EFFORTS TO LIVE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND HOPED THAT
THE REFUGEES WOULD SOON COOPERATE.
يه
CARRINGTON
1
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