CONFIDENTIAL
FM BONN
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 770
OF 291444Z JULY 88
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP DOP Q DIST.
HKD 243/5
(96
117675
MDHIAN 8899
REC
- 1 AUG 1988
Iones
4x2
INFO PRIORITY OTHER EC POSTS, HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
90
al
YOUR TELNOS 441 AND 442: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: PROPOSED EC
DEMARCHE
SUMMARY
1. ACTION TAKEN WITH AUSWAERTIGES AMT. GERMANS WILL PROBABLY NOT INSIST ON INCLUSION OF REFERENCE TO ''VOLUNTARY REFUGEES'' IN DEMARCHE.
DETAIL
{
·
2. FITCHETT CALLED ON SAUSEN, DESK OFFICER FOR VIETNAM IN THE AA, ON 29 JULY AND SPOKE AS IN TURS, DRAWING ALSO UPON HONG KONG TELNO 2881 TO FCO (TELECON FITCHETT/SEAD). SAUSEN REACTED SYMPATHETICALLY HE SAID IT WAS CLEAR THAT INCLUSION OF THE TERM 'VOLUNTARY'' IN A DEMARCHE COULD GIVE RISE TO PROBLEMS, E.G. FINDING MONEY TO PERSUADE ENOUGH REFUGEES TO BECOME VOLUNTEERS'', HE ACCEPTED THAT THE
REFUGEE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE SOLVED WITHOUT A MEASURE OF COERCION.
RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN VIETNAM
WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE FRG TO ACCEPT THIS WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE.
HE
3. SAUSEN HAD NOT YET SEEN THE REVISED DEMARCHE (SECOND TUR). INDICATED THAT THE ORIGINAL UK DRAFT HAD APPEARED A LITTLE HARD, AND THAT SOME PARTNERS HAD SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS. IF THE GREEK
PRESIDENCY WERE NOW TO CIRCULATE A DRAFT WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE THE TERM ''VOLUNTARY' THEN THE FRG COULD LIVE WITH IT.
MALLABY
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