CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2144
OF 1913OOZ AUGUST 88
CONFIDENTIAL
676
177707
MDHOAN 2730
HKD 243/8
R
STRY
22 AUG 1988
ISTRY
N
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, PEKING INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, TOKYO
660-2
YOUR TELNOS 3065-7: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: THE WAY
FORWARD
1. THANK YOU FOR TURS, WHICH WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY WITH THE GOVERNOR. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING FURTHER COMMENTS.
OBJECTIVES IN FURTHER TALKS
2. WE DO NOT ENTIRELY FOLLOW THE ARGUMENT IN PARAS 4-5 OF FIRST TUR ABOUT REDUCTION OF OUR EXPOSURE AS DEMANDEURS. WE AGREE THAT
OUR IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE (BECAUSE IT IS THE MORE READILY
ATTAINABLE ONE) MUST BE TO REDUCE THE OUTFLOW OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM
VIETNAM. BUT WE DO NOT THINK THAT THE LONGER-TERM OBJECTIVE OF
REPATRIATION CAN BE TREATED AS SUBORDINATE. BOTH OBJECTIVES TO BE PURSUED IN TANDEM.
3
HAVE
IT MUST ALREADY BE CLEAR TO THE VIETNAMESE THAT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR REALISTIC AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES ON THEIR PART TO STEM THE OUTFLOW, AS AGREED IN THE HANOI PRESS STATEMENT. WE
MUST MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE ON THEM (SEE BELOW). BUT IT MUST BE
DOUBTFUL WHETHER IT IS IN THEIR POWER TO STOP THE OUTFLOW
OVERNIGHT. IT COULD WELL BE SELF DEFEATING TO ESTABLISH TO0
STRONG A LINK OF CONDITIONALITY BETWEEN THEIR ACTION OVER THE OUTFLOW AND PROGRESS ON A BROADER FRONT, FOR EXAMPLE BY MAKING THE CESSATION OF DEPARTURES A PRE-CONDITION FOR FURTHER ROUND OF TALKS (AS PARA 5 SEEMS TO IMPLY). WE NOTE IN
THAT CONNECTION THAT THE ACTING GOVERNOR WAS REPORTED ON 18
AUGUST AS SAYING THAT NO FURTHER TALKS WOULD BE HELD UNTIL THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN ARRIVALS IN HONG KONG.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THE ROLE OF UNHCR
4。
A
GUARANTOR
WE NEED THE COOPERATION OF UNHCR AS INTERNATIONAL
OF THE HUMANENESS OF ANY REPATRIATION SCHEME: AS A CONDUIT FOR
RE-INTEGRATION ASSISTANCE: AND AS SUPERVISOR OF A RE-INTEGRATION PROGRAMME. THIS MEANS CARRYING THEM WITH US, WHILE COUNTERING AS
BEST WE CAN THEIR TENDENCY TO BE BUREAUCRATIC (CF THE TIMETABLE
FOR FUTURE ACTION ENVISAGED BY DE MELLO IN UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 452, WHICH STRETCHES FROM HERE TO ETERNITY). IT ALSO MEANS TEMPERING UNHCR'S NATURAL INCLINATION TO FAVOUR MULTILATERAL
ARRANGEMENTS. WE SHALL HAVE TO PERSUADE UNHCR TO ACT SPEEDILY
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CONFIDENTIAL