660
CONFIDENTIAL FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3065
OF 171115Z AUGUST 88
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS
CONFIDENTIAL
MKD 243/8
170606
MDHIAN 0558
TOP COPY
DIST ?
GENEVA
ars
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, PEKING, KUALA LUMPUR INFO PRIORITY TOKYO
65t
658
YOUR TELNO 2095-AND UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 452 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG : THE WAY FORWARD
EXCO WERE BRIEFED YESTERDAY ON THE OUTCOME OF THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. WE ALSO REPORTED YOUR VIEWS AS SET OUT IN TUR (PARAS 4 AND 9 MATERIAL OMMITTED)
TIMING AND VENUE OF FURTHER TALKS
2. EXCO AGREED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE DESIRABLE TO HOLD THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS IN HONG KONG AND WERE ATTRACTED BY THE IDEA OF LONDON,
WE THINK THAT THE LONDON GENEVA OR BANGKOK AS ALTERNATIVE VENUES.
OPTION WOULD AS YOU SUGGEST BE A PARTICULARLY VALUABLE BAIT FOR THE VIETNAMESE. IT WOULD ALSO UNDERLINE THE COMMON UK/HONG KONG INTEREST IN THE PROBLEM.
3. THE BALL IS IN OUR COURT ON SETTING A TIME AND VENUE FOR THE NEXT ROUND BUT WE AGREE THAT, GIVEN THE NEED FOR CAREFUL PREPARATION, AN EARLY SEPTEMBER MEETING WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE.
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OUR EXPOSURE AS WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD IN ANY EVENT REDUCE DEMANDEURS. OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE, AFTER ALL, IS THAT THE OUTFLOW OF BOAT PEOPLE SHOULD STOP. WE HAVE YET TO SEE EVIDENCE OF VIETNAMESE EFFORTS : ARRIVALS IN AUGUST HAVE SO FAR AVERAGED 70 PER DAY COMPARED WITH 179 PER DAY IN JULY, BUT THIS MAY BE DUE SIMPLY TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WE MUST MOREOVER DISPEL FROM THE START, IN LONDON, HANOI AND HERE, ANY SUGGESTION THAT WE ARE
STOPPING THE FLOW ENGAGING IN A QUOTE DANEGELD UNQUOTE EXERCISE. MUST BE A PRE-CONDITION OF ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE BEING REPATRIATED, AND NOT VICE VERSA.
5. THEREFORE WE HOPE IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE BY EARLY SEPTEMBER TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE VIETNAMESE OFFERING LONDON AS A VENUE BUT MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THE FIXING OF A DATE AND OUR ATTITUDE ON
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