HKD 243/8
PA
98
CONFIDENTIAL
DA
CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 242
OF 22050OZ APRIL 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, HANOI
rearly stye of consideration
122551
MDHIAN 6712
FOR SEAD
CALL BY THAI PERMANENT SECRETARY ON PUS: MONDAY, 25 APRIL.
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POLITICAL DIRECTOR THEP DEVAKUL TOLD ME LAST NIGHT THAT
HE HAD BEEN MUCH IMPRESSED BY THE REPORTED REMARKS TO THE PRESS
BY OUR GOVERNOR IN HONG KONG ON 19 APRIL IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAD
HAD SOME TOUGH WORDS TO SAY ABOUT VIETNAM'S ''VERY HEAVY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE APPALLING SITUATION IN WHICH THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE CONTINUE TO RISK THEIR LIVES AT SEA''
IN PARTICULAR,
THEP NOTED THAT HONG KONG IS REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING ‚'ARRANGEMENTS BY WHICH NEW ARRIVALS ARE NOT DEFINED AS REFUGEES BUT ARE
SOMETHING ELSE LIKE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS WHO COULD BE
RETURNED'
2. THEP SAID THAT, IN THE LIGHT OF FRENCH'S RECENT VISIT TO
THAILAND AND THE REMARKS OF OUR GOVERNOR, THEY WERE CONSIDERING
CLOSER ASEAN COORDINATION OVER THE REFUGEE ISSUE (AS WE HAVE
ALREADY REPORTED) AND VERY MUCH HOPED THAT BRITAIN COULD JOIN
ASEAN IN A TOUGHER POLICY, INCLUDING PERHAPS A COMBINED APPROACH
TO VIETNAME ASKING THEM TO IMPROVE CONTROL OVER ILLEGAL DEPARTURES.
3.
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THEP INDICATED THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THE VIETNAMESE WERE CURRENTLY, MAKING APPROACHES TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ASKING FOR FOOD AID. THEP SAID THAT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS
VIETNAM HAD BEEN MAKING SUCH REQUESTS, ALLEGING SHORTAGES PRIMARILY AS A RESULT OF FLOODS, TYPHOONS, PESTS AND OTHER ACTS OF GOD. BUT ANOTHER REASON, AND POSSIBLY THE MAIN REASON, WAS THAT THE
VIETNAMESE ECONOMY WAS INCAPABLE OF MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE
POPULATION AND HE VERY MUCH HOPED THAT IN ANY RESPONSE TO THE
LATEST VIETNAMESE REQUEST, SOME PRESSURE COULD BE EXERTED ON VIETNAME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONTINUING DEPARTURES. THE
WEST OUGHT NOT TO OFFER FOOD AID UNLESS VIETNAME AGREED TO HALT
THE REFUGEE EXODUS.
4. THEP NOTED THAT, ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES FIGURES, OVER 675,000 REFUGEES, OR MORE THAN 1 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION OF
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CONFIDENTIAL