TNAG-0898-FCO40-1108-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 263

BY BAG

布政司署

香港下亞畢道

本署檔號 OUR REF:

* Your Ref.:

CONFIDENTIAL

1736

HIGOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

K2OES ALBERT ROAD

RECEIVED

RioriVel B HỒNG KONG

DESK OFFK 15 INDEX

tober, 1979

PA

P J Williamson Esq

Hong Kong & General Department

FCO

ear Patrick,

Dem

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: IMCO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

I understand that IMCO will hold its two-yearly General Assembly in London from 5 to 16 November and that, as at the last General Assembly, there is likely to be UNHCR participation and some discussion of the question of rescue at sea. I should be grateful if you could ensure that any briefing for the UK delegation takes into account Hong Kong's interests. As you will know from our telno 1352 of 29 September, our policy at present 1733A1s to require guarantees of resettlement before allowing ashore

is refugees rescued at sea by ocean-going vessels. We see no prospect of being able to change this position at present unless other places of first asylum in the region were also willing to do so.

2.

So far this year 1,340 refugees have been landed in

Six Hong Kong after rescue at sea by seven ocean-going vessels. of these had Hong Kong as their first scheduled port of call while in the case of the seventh, the Ruddbank, 2 refugees were allowed to land in Hong Kong for medical treatment while the rest remained No on board as the ship went to its first scheduled port of call. doubt you or MAED will let us know in due course if you need any further briefing material for the IMCO meeting.

CC

FCO

SEAD, MAED, FCO

UND

(I C Orr)

こ

Yours ever,

I'rin

CONFIDENTIAL