CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 071000Z FCO
TELNO 3739
OF 07090OZ OCTOBER 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI,
انا
PEKING
62
CONFIDENTIAL
TO
115 (69
нко 243/IS
175563
MDHIAN 6736
YOUR TELNO 2615 AND 2616:
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:
PREPARATION FOR FORTHCOMING TALKS
I AM CONTENT WITH THE GENERAL APPROACH IN TURS. WE MUST HOWEVER TAKE CARE NOT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION DURING THE DISCUSSIONS THAT OUR RESOLVE TO RETURN ALL NON-REFUGEES HAS IN ANY WAY DIMINISHED. WE MUST ALSO NOT DELUDE OURSELVES THAT MORE THAT A SMALL MINORITY OF THOSE SCREENED OUT WILL VOLUNTEE TO RETURN TO VIETNAM HOWEVER HARD WE TRY TO PERSUADE THEM TO DO SO.
2.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING SLIGHT CHANGE IN EMPHASIS IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THE DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE IN
SECOND TUR:
BEGINS
''IN IMPLEMENTING AN AGREEMENT TO RETURN ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WE INTEND TO MAKE EVERY EFFOR TO EXPLAIN THE POSITION CLEARLY TO ALL CONCERNED IN THE CAMPS. WE BELIEVE THIS WILL RESULT IN A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR EARLY REPATRIATION, IN ADDITION TO THE (300) WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED. WE WOULD, ON OUR PART, CERTAINLY, PROCESS SUCH REQUESTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND LET IT BE KNOWN THAT PRIORITY WOULD BE GIVEN TO SUCH APPLICATIONS''
ENDS
WILSON
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL