CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 243/8
109E 1968
(801
070620
MDHOAN 4268
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 14010OZ BANGKOK
TELNO 428
OF 13160OZ SEPTEMBER
88
AND TO DESKBY 14010OZ HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR, UKMIS GENEVA, MANILA, JAKARTA
INFO PRIORITY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON, INFO PRIORITY HANOI, PARIS
OTTAWA
780
593
YOUR TELNOS 622 AND 627 AND HONG KONG TELNO 34T8 (NOW BEING
REPEATED TO PARIS): VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: RUN-UP TO
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
1.
AN
WE NOTE THAT THE AMERICANS ARE COMING ROUND TO THE IDEA OF
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. OUR OWN IMPRESSION IS THAT THE
TREND TOWARDS MULTILATERAL DISCUSSION OF THE PROBLEM IS UNLIKELY
TO BE REVERSED AND THAT THE BALANCE OF ADVANTAGE LIES IN
OUR FULL PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS RATHER THAN IN
TRYING TO KEEP OUR OWN DEALINGS WITH THE VIETNAMESE
STRICTLY ON A BILATERAL BASIS. WE RECOGNISE THAT THIS COULD
POSSIBLY SLOW DOWN OUR PROGRESS WITH THE VIETNAMESE: BUT IF
MOMENTUM TOWARDS A MULTILATERAL HANDLING OF THE PROBLEM PICKS UP
IT BECOMES CORRESPONDINGLY LESS LIKELY THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL
BE PREPARED TO DEAL BILATERALLY WITH US IN A DIFFERENT
TIME-FRAME.
2.
BUT WHILST WE ARE PREPARED TO ATTEND SUCH A
CONFERENCE WE HAVE NOT YET DECIDED ON THE LEVEL OF OUR
REPRESENTATION NOR ON WHAT OUR OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE. THE SITUATION IS STILL EVOLVING COUR OWN BILATERAL TALKS WITH VIETNAM, UNHCR EXCOM IN OCTOBER ETC) AND WE SHARE AMERICAN CONCERNS THAT ASEAN MAY BE TRYING TO FORCE THE PACE UNDULY.
3.
IN THE LIGHT OF THIS WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF BANGKOK WOULD
ATTEND THE MEETING ON 16/17 SEPTEMBER WITH A VIEW TO ESTABLISHING
A CLEARER IDEA OF ASEAN/UNHCR INTENTIONS, WHILST MAKING CLEAR OUR
CONCERN THAT THE CONFERENCE SHOULD BE PROPERLY PREPARED.
4.
WE
WELCOME HONG KONG'S SUGGESTION THAT HANSON SHOULD JOIN
THE UK DELEGATION AND NOTE THAT THE THAIS AND UNHCR HAVE
INDICATED INFORMALLY THAT THEY SEE NO OBJECTION. PLEASE NOW
CONFIRM WITH THEM THAT HANSON WILL ATTEND AS A MEMBER OF THE
BRITISH TEAM.
HOWE
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