29

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA

TELNO 244

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 243/15

- 4 OCT 1988

AMENDED TELEGRAM NUMBER 3/10

157277

MDHOAN 5786

TOP Copy Q DIST ?

3

OF 30130OZ SEPTEMBER 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO PRIORITY HANOI, PEKING, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR

77

HONG KONG TELNO 3625: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: SECOND ROUND OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE

1.

WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE FURTHER THOUGHTS IN HONG KONG

IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, AND PARTICULARLY THE REPORTS OF THE VIEWS OF KARIM AND CASELLA, WE THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO OBTAIN A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF HOW UNHCR'S THINKING ON

TUR.

ON REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IS DEVELOPING

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU AND HANSON COULD SPEAK TO APPROPRIATE UNHCR OFFICIALS IN

THE MARGINS OF EXCOM NEXT WEEK AND REPORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 2. WE WOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GATHER CONCERNING DE MELLO'S TALKS IN HANOI THIS WEEK. 3. WE CAN EXPECT UNHCR TO ASK WHAT LINE WE EXPECT TO TAKE IN THE COMING TALKS. SUBJECT TO HONG KONG'S COMMENTS, WE SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING

(A) WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS THE VIETNAMESE TO AGREE IN PRINCIPLE THAT ALL THOSE NOT SCREENED IN AS REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN TO VIETNAM:

(B) WE WILL ALSO PRESS THEM AGAIN TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT DEPARTURES BY BOAT:

AS

(C) WE WILL PRESS THEM TO ACCEPT THE EARLY RETURN OF AS MANY POSSIBLE OF THE CURRENT LIST OF ABOUT 250 VOLUNTEERS:

(D) WE ARE

CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED NOT TO PRE-EMPT MILTILATERAL DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PROBLEM. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR DISCUSSIONS WILL IN FACT ASSIST ANY MULTILATERAL EFFORTS:

(E) REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE. WE SEE A ROLE FOR THIS, BUT AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE FOR THE RETURN OF ALL NON-REFUGEES. WE ENVISAGE THAT UNHCR WOULD BE CENTRAL TO AND WOULD ADMINISTER ANY REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE ARRANGEMENTS, AND WE WILL REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM ON THIS ASPECT.

HOWE

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