TNAG-1427-FCO40-1910-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1986 — Page 73

TO FOULY

2409502 OCT

GRS 165

52.

323

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKMIS GENEVA

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER UN 243/393/1:

OF 240932Z OCTOBER 85

FROM: MISS D J WALKER

FA 243/508/1

FOLLOWING FOR: S T NASH ESQ, SEAD, FCO

& remishit

н

with ref. teleletter

COPIED TO: BANGKOK, HANOI, HONG KONG, WASHINGTON AND PARIS

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TELELETTER OF 16 OCTOPER.

Comis

:

27/10

ны)

Mr. Leeks tas Wight Inf?

(BBC rection)

2. WE CALLED ON FELDMANN AND COOPER OF RESETTLEMENT SECTION OF UNHCR. COOPER IS ARRANGING TO GO TO HONG KONG TO TALK ABOUT THE PROVISION OF TRANSIT FACILITIES FOR RASRO OVER-STAYERS.

3. FELDMANN CONFIRMED THAT YOUR PARAGRAPH 2 IS CORRECT BUT ADDS THAT THE INFORMATION GIVEN BY THE BBC VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE BROADCAST WAS BASICALLY ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF THE SHIP. THE CHARCOT OPERATED

FOR LESS THAN SIX WEEKS BUT PICKED UP 500 PEOPLE SO MUST BE

CONSIDERED AS A PULL FACTOR AT THAT TIME.

15/1

4. YOUR PARAGRAPH 4: REPORTS ON THE SAN REMO MEETING FOLLOW TO YOU.

BY BAG.

5.

REGARDING THE ALLEGED SECOND SOVIET PICK-UP IN AUGUST FELDMANN SAID THAT UNHCR HAD RECEIVED REPORTS THAT A SOVIET VESSEL OFFERED TO RESCUE SOME DOZEN BOAT PEOPLE IN DISTRESS BUT WOULD ONLY TAKE THEM TO VIET NAM A FEW ACCEPTED THE OFFER BUT THE OTHERS REFUSED AND WERE GIVEN FOOD AND SUPPLIES BY THE SOVIET VESSEL AND ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.

SIGNED....MISS D J WALKER

LKICQ43/5 +KIC 243/5

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

11 DEC1985

DESK OFFICER