MKD 243/5
COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
Mr McLaren
PS/PUS
2
88
o Fathi N 12/10
90
Crv 127.
FROM:
D H Colvin
аги
DATE:
CC:
South East Asian Department
7 October 1988
PS/Lord Glenarthur
Mr Gillmore
Mr Hum, HKD
Mr MacLeod, Protocol Department
CALL BY THE VIETNAMESE ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER ON TUESDAY 11 OCTOBER AT 1000 AM
1.
Assistant Foreign Minister Vu Khoan will lead the Vietnamese delegation (details attached) for talks in London on 11 and 12 October on the problem of Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong. The first round, at which Mr Khoan again led his delegation, took place in Hanoi on 3/4 August when some, albeit limited, progress was made. We hope during the second round to persuade the Vietnamese authorities to take back soon the 300 or so boat people in Hong Kong who have already volunteered to return and to advance our longer-term objective of a comprehensive arrangement to repatriate all those screened out as illegal immigrants. Mr McLaren, who will lead the British delegation, is submitting separately on our approach to the talks.
2. In Lord Glenarthur's absence, Mr Eggar has kindly agreed to see Mr VuKhoan at 1000 on Tuesday 11 October immediately before the talks begin. This will be a useful opportunity to emphasise at Ministerial level at the start not only that we attach importance to early and effective progress on the boat people problem, but also that progress over this and Vietnamese withdrawal from Cambodia offers the best avenue to an improvement in our bilateral relationship generally. FCO telegram 227 to Hanoi (attached) records the Secretary of State's discussion of these two subjects with the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister, Tran, in New York last week. It would also be appropriate for Mr Eggar to refer briefly to the recent expulsion of the Third Secretary at the Vietnamese Embassy. But he may wish to do so in a manner which, without minimising the seriousness of the incident, acknowledges the prompt and full apology by the Vietnamese Government and makes clear our hope that the matter is behind us.
3.
Mr Eggar might like to know that because the Vietnamese Treasury is bare, the cost of this trip is being borne by the UNHCR (airfares) and HMG (subsistence). It is a sad reflection on the pathetic state of the Vietnamese economy.
4.
I submit briefing.
Hong Kong and Protocol Departments concur.
ini
D H Colvin
COVERING CONFIDENTIAL