CONFIDENTIAL
667
нко
RECEN
2438
SUSTRY
27 JUL 1988
FFICER
102514
MDHIAN 8252
CONFIDENTIAL FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 272
OF 250505Z JULY 88
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
PA
ten
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, BANGKOK, SINGAPORE INFO PRIORITY JAKARTA, MANILA, BRUNEI, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
1.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE/ VISIT TO VIETNAM OF UNHCR DELEGATION
SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO, HEAD OF THE UNHCR ASIA-PACIFIC DEPARTMENT, VISITED VIETNAM FROM 20-23 JULY TO HOLD THE FIRST ROUND OF BILATERAL TALKS ABOUT ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND THE REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE. HE WILL RETURN TO GENEVA ON 26/27 JULY VIA KUALA LUMPUR. I MET HIM BRIEFLY ON 22 JULY.
2.
THE VIETNAMESE SIDE WAS LED BY ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER, VU KHOAN, AND CONTAINED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MINISTRIES OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERIOR. AT THE END OF THE TALKS DE MELLO WAS RECEIVED PRIVATELY BY FIRST VICE FOREIGN MINISTER,DINH NHO LIEM.
3.
DE MELLO SAID THAT THE TALKS HAD BEEN LENGTHY DETAILED AND FRANK. HIS IMPRESSION IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE VIETNAMESE HAVE NOT YET COMPLETELY REVEALED THEIR HAND THEY HAVE CLEARLY CHANGED THEIR POLICY QUITE CONSIDERABLY. THEIR OWN EXPLANATION FOR THIS IS A DESIRE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THEIR NEIGHBOURS AND OVER DINNER VỤ KHOAN APPARENTLY SAID QUITE EMOTIONALLY THAT THE VIETNAMESE FIND IT PAINFUL TO SEE THE RELATIVE SUCCESS OF THE REGION IN COMPARISON TO THEIR OWN MESS. DE MELLO CONCLUDED THAT THE VIETNAMESE NOW RECOGNISE THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER WASH THEIR HANDS OF EVERY BOAT PERSON REGARDING HIM AS A TRAITOR TO SOCIALISM WITHOUT WHOM VIETNAM IS BETTER OFF. THEY ARE PARTICULALY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TALKS WITH HONG KONG NOT ONLY BECAUSE THESE ARE NEXT, BECAUSE THE SCREENING POLICY HAS DONE A LOT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE WHOLE PROBLEM HAS ENTERED A NEW PHASE ND THAT THERE ARE NOW 'NEW RULES TO THE GAME''.
4.
BUT
DE MELLO
THROUGHOUT THE TALKS, THE VIETNAMESE KEPT TO THEIR LINE THAT ALL REPATRIATION SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY. A UNILATERAL PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED AT THE END OF THE VISIT REAFFIRMED THIS. APPARENTLY SPOKE VERY FORECEFULY ON THIS SUBJECT SAYING THAT SCREENED OUT BOAT PEOPLE ARE ILLEAL IMMIGRANTS AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM AND NOWHERE ELSE. UNHCR ACCEPTS THIS
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