TNAG-1184-FCO40-1486-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-the--1982 — Page 102

Superbis

Mogueat

LOOSE MINUTE

TO.3036/333//82

DS5a

Copy to:

DS11

DS15(L)

DN Plans

FCO (HK & Gen)

DSC(ROW)(FE)

CONFIDENTIAL

BARN

Jone Af 25/10

Mabution

263

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: OPPOSED TOWING OF CRAFT

References:

A. CAPIC's letter of 22 July 1982

D/DS11/6/7 of 7 October 1982

B.

No

HKK 243 ||

A

14425/10 AP25/10

1. I am most concerned at the thought of any Royal Naval Patrol Craft being employed in forcibly removing vessels and their occupants from Hong Kong colony waters against their will. The humanitarian and political sensitivities of the issue are not areas that I consider the Royal Navy should be drawn into despite the difficult immigration situation that the Hong Kong Government find themselves.

2. I understand that the RHK Marine Police are not at present legally entitled to operate outside HK Territorial waters.

It would seem important to find a way round this restriction, and I have sought the views of Capic Hong Kong.

18 October 1982

Пашей

J GARNIER

Captain Royal Navy

DIRECTOR OF NAVAL OPERATIONS

AND TRADE

MB 5355 2866 MB

CONFIDENTIAL