CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 07010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 2616
OF 061415Z OCTOBER 88
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
TOP. COPY
DOT Z
62
174433
MDHOAN 6148
MID 243|1s
NY
0 OCT 1988
PA
MIPT: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: PREPARATION
FORTHCOMING TALKS.
1.
FOR
DRAFT SECTION FOR THE SPEAKING NOTE FOR AGENDA ITEM 4 FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
(EARLY REPATRIATION) YOU HAVE EXPLAINED THAT RETURNS SHOULD ONLY BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. AS YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE RETURN OF ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AS ESSENTIAL. IN PRACTICE WE HOPE THAT MANY WILL PUT THEMSELVES FORWARD FOR EARLY REPATRIATION ONCE A COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT IS IN PLACE. OVER 300 HAVE OF COURSE ALREADY DONE THIS. UNDER A COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT, ALL WILL KNOW WHAT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THEIR HUMANE TREATMENT ON RETURN, AND THAT THEY WILL IN ANY CASE BE RETURNED TO VIETNAM AS THEIR TURN COMES.
IN IMPLEMENTING AN AGREEMENT TO RETURN ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WE INTEND TO MOUNT A MAJOR PROGRAMME IN THE CAMPS TO EXPLAIN THE POSITION TO ALL CONCERNED. WE THINK THIS WILL RESULT IN
A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR EARLY REPATRIATION, IN ADDITION TO THE (300) WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED. WE WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE FIRST PRIORITY TO SUCH REQUESTS, AND PUT THEM TO THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE. ENDS
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MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
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