SECRET
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1398
OF 31144OZ MAY 88
INFO PRIORITY HANOI
216
SECRET
HUD 243/8
066130 MDLOAN 0460
TO
1.
YOUR TEL NO 2033: AND HANOI TEL NO 26: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR HMA HANOI TO BRIEF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGE OF POLICY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE ITS IMPLEMENTATION. THIS WOULD PROVIDE A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO URGE THE VIETNAMESE TO LIMIT ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND TO ACCEPT THE RETURN, UNDER SUITABLE SAFEGUARDS, OF THOSE WHO DO NOT MEET REFUGEE CRITERIA.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PREPARE A DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE FOR THE USE OF HMA HANOI, TOGETHER WITH RELEVANT BACKGROUND ON QUOTE OPERATION WATCHMAN UNQUOTE
2.
3. ON TIMING, WE WOULD BE CONTENT WITH AN APPROACH TO PHUONG ON 13 JUNE, PROVIDED OF COURSE THAT MINISTERIAL APPROVAL FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGE OF POLICY HAD BEEN OBTAINED BY THAT TIME.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
26
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
26
MR MCLAREN