CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3694
OF 041034Z OCTOBER 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
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3/1.5.
HUD 243/15
162051 MDHIAN 6248
i
- 9 OCT1988
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
YOUR TELNO 2562 :
27
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG :
PREPARATION FOR FORTHCOMING TALKS
WE HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR BARNES AND FUNG TO ARRIVE IN LONDON ON SUNDAY, 9 OCTOBER. THEY WILL BE STAYING IN ST. ERMIN'S
HOTEL.
2.
THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PRESS SPECULATION ABOUT THE TIMEING OF THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION OF DATES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND FOR AGREEMENT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, IF POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY 6 OCTOBER.
WE WOULD PROPOSE TO ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES :
3.
4.
''THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS WITH VIETNAM ON THE PROBLEMS OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL BE HELD ON 11 AND 12 OCTOBER IN LONDON.
THE JOINT UK/HK TEAM AT THE TALKS WILL BE LED BY MR ROBIN MCLAREN ASSISTANT UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, AND WILL INCLUDE THE POLITICAL ADVISER (MR R.D CLIFT) AND THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY (MR G.T. BARNES)
·
IN ANSWER TO QUESTION, WE WILL SAY THAT OUR AIMS AT THE TALKS WILL BE TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE EARLY REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED AS REFUGEES: AND TO ENSURE THAT ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT DEPARTURES FROM VIETNAM.
5. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS.
WILSON
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