TNAG-0897-FCO40-1107-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 271

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DESKBY 291233Z

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HEK243/1

PA 2

(1633)

FM UKMIS GENEVA 291029Z AUG 79

TO IMMEDIATE FCO-

TELEGRAM NUMBER 497 OF 23 AUGUST 1972

INFO IMMEDIATE TOKYO, PEKING, INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK, INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, OTTAWA, PARIS.

TOKYO TELNO 463: MV RUDDBANK

1617

1. DIRECTOR OF PROTECTION URHCR HAS TOLD US INFORMALLY THAT

UNHCR WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE JAPANESE

AND PROVIDE A STATEMENT ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE FLAG STATE

PROVIDING THE USUAL GUARANTEE. UNHCR DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO THE

FACT THAT ALL ALONG THEY HAVE BEEN URGING THE UK TO PROVIDE A.

GUARANTEE AND IF THIS HAD BEEN GIVEN THE REFUGEES WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE DISEMBARKED OF THEIR OWN WILL. UNHCR SAY THEY

DO NOT WISH TO COMPROMISE THE PRINCIPLE THAT REFUGEES SHOULD

DE DISEMBARKED AT THE FIRST PORT OF CALL, AGAINST A GUARANTEE

IF NECESSARY.

2. ALTHOUGH WE COULD MAKE A FORMAL DEMARCHE AT A HIGHER

LEVEL TO UNHCR IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT THIS WOULD PRODUCE ANY OTHER

RESULT.

3. CASSELLA IS STILL IN CHINA.

}

WILLIAMS

FILE S

SEAD

HK & GD

UND

FED

NAM D

SAD

MAED

EID

PUSD

OID

JFD

NEWS D

MVD

PS

PS/LPS PS/MR HURD PS/MR BLAKER

PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MR MURRAY

MR STRATTON

LORD NG LENNOX

MR FERGUSSON

MR FREYWELL

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

BOAT PEOPLE

CONFIDENTIAL