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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PARIS
TELNO 456
OF 091445Z AUGUST 88
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, BONN
150055
MDHOAN 2104
HKD 243/s
aus
YOUR TELNO 769 AND TELECON SLATER/COX: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: EC
DEMARCHE
1.
<
HE
GILLMORE SPOKE BY TELEPHONE TO MARTIN YESTERDAY EVENING TO
PROBE THE FRENCH RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT THE DELETION OF QUOTE
VOLONTAIRE UNQUOTE FROM THE DRAFT TEXT OF THE DEMARCHE. HE
EXPLAINED WHY WE SAW INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AS ESSENTIAL.
EMPHASISED IN PARTICULAR THE SEVERITY OF THE CRISIS CREATED BY
THE BOAT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE REGION: THE ABSENCE OF ANY
REQUIREMENT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR THE RETURN OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS TO BE VOLUNTARY: AND THE CONCURRENCE OF UNHCR
AND THE ASEAN GOVERNMENTS IN THIS VIEW, AS WELL AS OUR EC PARTNERS (EVEN THE GERMANS AND DANES WHO HAD BEEN INITIALLY DOUBTFUL).
2.
MARTIN EXPRESSED SOME SYMPATHY. BUT HE CLAIMED TO HAVE REAL
PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN OF HIS MINISTERS, WHO FEARED A VERY STRONG
ADVERSE REACTION FROM THE VIETNAMESE POPULATION IN FRANCE TO ANY
FRENCH ENDORSEMENT OF COMPULSORY REPATRIATION. HE SAID THAT SOME
FRENCH MINISTERS ARE ALSO STILL SUPPORTING MERCY SHIP MISSIONS AS
A GOOD PUBLICITY EXERCISE DESPITE THEIR QUESTIONABLE
EFFECTIVENESS.
3.
AFTER DISCUSSION MARTIN SUGGESTED SETTING ASIDE THE TEXT PROPOSED BY ATHENS (CPE/PRES/ATH 287) AND SUBSTITUTING A SHORTER, PITHIER TEXT. THIS WOULD BE BASED ON AN ADAPTATION OF THE FRENCH SUGGESTION IN CPE/PAR 302 BUT WOULD INCLUDE AN EXPLICIT REFERENCE
TO THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF THE BOAT PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT TRUE
REFUGEES. HE UNDERTOOK TO DO SOME DRAFTING THEN SPEAK TO
GILLMORE AGAIN LATER IN THE WEEK BEFORE TAKING ANY FURTHER ACTION (SUCH AS ISSUING A COREU). (HIS LEAVE HAS BEEN SET BACK UNTIL
THE WEEKEND.)
CHALKER
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