CONFIDENTIAL
FM BANGKOK
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 469
OF 13092OZ JULY 88
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
529
061621
MDLIAN 3191
HKD 243/8.
REC
18 JUL 1988
FILE:
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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