TNAG-0897-FCO40-1107-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 263

A

B

Mr Simons

CC:

PS/Mr Blaker

Mr Murray

Sir A Duff

MAED

o/r

UND

-HKGD

FED

CONFIDENTIAL

Hkk2431

AC

1636

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: MV BRITISH RESOLUTION

PROBLEM

1.

The Singapore Government has said that it will not allow the 36 refugees on board the BRITISH RESOLUTION to land at Singapore

without a guarantee from the United Kingdom that any which have

not been accepted for settlement within 3 months will be taken

immediately to the United Kingdom. Should we give this guarantee?

•

RECOMMENDATION

2. I recommend that the Private Secretary to the Lord Privy Seal should write to No 10 Downing Street and to the other Private Offices concerned recommending that the guarantee be given immediately although preferably not made known until the Japanese

have agreed to allow the refugees on the RUDD BANK to disembark

without conditions). I submit a draft. UND, HKGD, MAED, FED

concur: Home Office and Department of Trade have been consulted.

ARGUMENT

3. Although we have asked the Singapore Government to allow the refugees to land without a guarantee, they have maintained their policy of requiring one.

4. BRITISH RESOLUTION is a very large oil tanker (270,000 tonnes). It rescued the refugees while carrying out tank cleaning operations prior to entering a Singapore dry dock. The rescue has already impeded the preparatory work without which the vessel will not be allowed into dry dock, BP, the owners, will therefore have to make a further cruise to complete this preparatory work even after disembarking the refugees. It is dangerous to attempt to complete it while the refugees are on board, and it cannot be done while the

tanker is at anchor.

ງ

/In addition,

CONFIDENTIAL