Тор сору
to SEAD
65
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COOPERATION POLITICAL COMMITTEE MEETING
ATHENS, 10-11 OCTOBER
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
HKD 243/IS
Objective
To inform our EC partners of the stage we have reached in our negotiations with the Vietnamese over the return of boat people to
Vietnam.
1.
Points to Make
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Following the first round of talks with the Vietnamese in August a second round is being held 11-12 October, in London.
We will continue to press the Vietnamese to agree in principle that all those not screened in as refugees should return to Vietnam. We will also press them again to take effective action to prevent further clandestine departures by boat.
We will urge them to accept the early return of as many as possible of the current list of about 300 who have volunteered to
return.
We are conscious of the need not to pre-empt multilateral discussions on this problem. We believe that our discussion will in
fact assist multilateral efforts.
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Glad that EC Demarche went ahead on 13 September. Hope its will help to maintain pressure on the Vietnamese authorities.
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