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19 SEP 198
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UN'S 243/2
EN 1519 So hear
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FSK OFFICER
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ACCIOL JURON
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO TELELETTER UKMIS GENEVA
TELELETTER
OF 09100OZ SEPTEMBER 38
Mr Kom
Mr Phil
Mist Stehe
Wiola
FROM: NICK THORNE UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT FCO
TO:
GAVIN HEWITT UKMIS GENEVA
Eu
Gr14/
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF 29 JULY ABOUT OUR PROPOSAL FOR A
DECISION AT EXCOM. WE HAVE DISCUSSED YOUR RESERVATIONS WITH HKD AND SEAD. THERE REMAINS A DEAL OF INTEREST HERE IN THE IDEA OF
STIMULATING SOME ACTION IN EXCOM.
2 =
J
WE OF COURSE RECOGNISE THAT WE COULD NOT TAKE THE LEAD IN
SPONSORING A DECISION WE ARE ALSO CONSCIOUS THAT WE SHOULD AVOID EXPOSING OURSELVES TO CRITICISM THAT HONG KONG DOMINATES
OUR CONSIDERATION OF REFUGEE ISSUES. WHILE WE WOULD NOT EXPECT
AN EXCOM DECISION TO SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE VIETNAMESE
POSITION, WE NEVERTHELESS SEE MERIT IN ΜΑΙΝΤΑΙNING HOPEFULLY BROADENING
AND
THE PRESSURE ON THEM AND WONDER WHETHER IT
WOULD BE WORTH SOUNDING OUT THE ASEANS AND OTHER FRIENDLY MEMBERS
OF EXCOM TO SEE HOW THEY MIGHT VIEW THE IDEA.
3. AS YOU POINT OUT, WHILE THE VIETNAMESE HAVE APPARENTLY SOFTENED THEIR ATTITUDE, THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO. AT THE
១ TALKS IN HANOI, THE VIETNAMESE SIDE APPEARED TO BACKTRACK FROM
THE POSITION THEY HAD ADOPTED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH DE MELLO ON THE
QUESTION OF NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. AN EXCOM DECISION WOULD
REPRESENT AN EXPRESSION OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN AND COULD
THEREBY REINFORCE OUR NEGOTIATING POSITION. WE COULD BALANCE OUR
ACTION ON HONG KONG WITH POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS ON OTHER
GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES.
4.
IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 5 YOU EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT SETTING A
PRECEDENT FOR OTHER DECISIONS ON GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES. I AGREE
THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE A PROLIFERATION OF SUCH DECISIONS
WHICH COULD ONLY LEAD TO THE FURTHER POLITICISATION OF EXCOM.
HOWEVER THERE WERE TWO GEOGRAPHICAL DECISIONS LAST YEAR CON
CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTHERN AFRICA) SO WE WOULD NOT BE ENTERING
NEW TERRITORY.