CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELN 469
OF 13092OZ JULY 88
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 24318
REC VEL
MISTRY
13 JUL 1988.
050045
MDHIAN 6986
INL
-FICER
PA
TOP COPY
AND TO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, KONG KONG AND TO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, AND TO ROUTINE MANILA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
98
HONGKONG TELNO 2680! TALKS WITH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT.
1.
IN LINE WITM PARA 5 OF TUR WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE GENERAL QUESTION OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, WITH KOBSAK CHUTIKUL, DIRECTOR, SOCIAL DIVISION OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
2. KOBSAK REITERATED THE LINE HE TOOK WITH FRENCH
CHONG KONG) ON 12 JULY. HE EMPHASISED THAI CONCERN THAT THERE SHOULD BE A MEETING BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN ADVANCE OF THE UNHCR TALKS IN HANOI ON 20-23 JULY. OTHERWISE KOBSAK EXPLAINED, THIS WOULD AFFORD THE VIETNAMESE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY ONE COUNTRY OFF AGAINST ANOTHER.
IN ANY CASE HIS VIEW WAS THAT REPATRIATION WOULD NEED TO BE
THROUGH THE UNHCR THUS HONG KONG WOULD BE UNABLE TO FINALISE DETAILS OF ANY AGREEMENT THAT MIGHT BE REACHED WITH THE VIETNAMESE. KOBSAK FURTHER DOUBTED THAT ANY BILATERAL AGREEMENT THAT MIGHT BE REACHED COULD BE MAINTAINED.
3. KOBSAK WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT THE THAI, AND PRESUMABLY ASEAN, VIEW WAS THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HONG KONG TO ATTEND THE UNHCR SPONSORED MEETING IN BANGKOK ON 18-19 JULY. THIS WOULD ALLOW ALL COUNTRIES OF FIRST ASYLUM IN THE REGION TO DETERMINE THE PARAMETERS OF FUTURE TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON REPATRIATION. KOBSAK EMPHASISED THAT HIS BELIEF
WAS THAT A SOLUTION TO THE REFUGEE PROBLEM WOULD NEED TO BE BASED ON A REGIONAL RATHER THAN BILATERAL BASIS. HE FELT THAT CO-ORDINATION OF ALL REPATRIATION WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY UNHCR. SHOULD HONG KONG DECIDE TO ATTEND THE UNHCR MEETING NEXT WEEK, THEY WOULD SUBSEQUENTLY BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO HOLD TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. UNHCR WILL BE PROVIDING BRIEFING ON AHMED'S VISIT TO VIETNAME, HOCKE'S TALKS WITH THACH AND OTHER INFORMATION. IN LIGHT OF THIS MEETING UNHCR WOULD
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CONFIDENTIAL