CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 4353
OF 251155Z NOVEMBER 88
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
(920)
нко
MKO 243/8
243/6158
HONG KONG TELNOS 4281 -AND 4312:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:
TOP COPY Q DIST
1926
005255 MDLIAN 7384
REPATRIATION ARRANGEMENTS
TURS, REPORT A DISTURBING INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BOAT PEOPLE WITHDRAWING THEIR REQUESTS FOR REPATRIATION. OF THE 445 REQUESTS FOR REPATRIATION, 55 HAVE NOW BEEN FORMALLY WITHDRAWN. IN ADDITION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT UNHCR ARE PROCESSING A FURTHER 113 WITHDRAWALS.
2. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS TREND. IF THE ADDITIONAL WITHDRAWALS ARE CONFIRMED, OR IF THE NUMBER OF WITHDRAWALS CONTINUES TO GROW, IT WILL DO GREAT DAMAGE TO OUR STRATEGY OF USING AN EARLY GROUP OF RETURNEES TO GENERATE A MOMENTUM FOR FURTHER VOLUNTEERS.
3. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE SEEMS TO BE LITTLE PROGRESS ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM. THE MAIN OUTCOME OF THE LONDON TALKS IN OCTOBER WAS THE AGREEMENT THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION SHOULD START BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. THERE NOW SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS POSSIBILITY THAT THIS TARGET WILL NOT BE MET. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOW CONSIDER AUTHORISING A FURTHER APPROACH WITH SUFFICIENT WEIGHT BEHIND IT (EG. MINISTERIAL CONCERN)BOTH TO THE VIETNAMESE AND UNHCR TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN AT THE DELAY IN CONCLUDING THE MOU AND IN PROVIDING LISTS OF PEOPLE ACCEPTED FOR RETURN
TO VIETNAM.
4. I SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL IF HMA HANOI COULD ADVISE WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE NEEDED TO GET THINGS MOVING IN VIETNAM. WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO A VISIT BY TECHNICAL EXPERTS: BUT THE PURPOSE OF SUCH A VISIT WOULD BE TO SETTLE THE FINAL DOCUMENTATION AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, NOT BE TO DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR RETURN. IF YOU CONSIDER THAT FURTHER BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE VIETNAMESE AND OURSELVES, AT WHATEVER LEVEL, WOULD HELP TO GET THINGS MOVING I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND A HONG KONG TEAM TO HANOI.
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CONFIDENTIAL