CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 13010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1848
OF 12153OZ JULY 88
496
504
045624
MDHOAN 0221
CONFIDENTIAL
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+KA 243/8
RECE
12 JUL 1988
Y
INL
Rem
YOUR TELNO 2672: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: PROPOSALS FOR
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
1.
WHATEVER THE HONG KONG PRESS MAY HAVE REPORTED, WE DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT SHULTZ IS ENTHUSIASTIC
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES. MIFT CONTAINS AN
EXTRACT FROM THE PRESIDENCY RECORD OF THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN
ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AND THEIR DIALOGUE PARTNERS (INCLUDING
SHULTZ). IT SEEMS CLEAR FROM THIS THAT SHULTZ IS NOT/NOT
ATTRACTED BY THE IDEA OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. HIS SUGGESTION THAT A MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP SHOULD BE SET UP
SEEMS DESIGNED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A CONFERENCE RATHER THAN A
PREPARATORY STEP.
2.
FOR OUR PART WE REMAIN VERY DOUBTFUL ABOUT WHAT AN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE COULD ACHIEVE: SO DO OUR EC PARTNERS AS
WELL AS THE AMERICANS. EVEN IF SUCH A CONFERENCE COULD BE CONVENED, WE STILL FEEL IT WOULD BE FATED TO BECOME SIDE-TRACKED INTO THE POLITICS OF INDO-CHINA. NOW THAT WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH BILATERAL
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE, THIS WOULD SEEM A PARTICULARLY INOPPORTUNE TIME TO PURSUE THE ALTERNATIVE OPTION OF A FORMAL
MULTILATERAL CONFERENCE.
IT WOULD HOWEVER BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT SHULTZ SEES AS THE COMPOSITION AND TASKS OF HIS PROPOSED
MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DRAW HIM OUT ON
3
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