CONFIDENTIAL
HK Altitudes
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HKB 243/4
072123
MDHOAN 1172
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 16010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1032
OF 1519OOZ MAY 89
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
if
YOUR TELNO 1553: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: LEGCO DEBATE
1.
THANK YOU FOR CONSULTING US ABOUT THE LINE YOU PROPOSE TO TAKE ON 17 MAY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL NOT BE AN EASY DEBATE TO HANDLE.
2.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING ALL WE POSSIBLY CAN IN OUR CONFIDENTIAL CONTACTS WITH THE AMERICANS, UNHCR AND OTHERS, TO SECURE GENERAL AGREEMENT TO THE IDEA OF EARLY IMPLEMENTATION OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION WITHIN A DEFINED TIMESCALE IF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION FAILS TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. BUT WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT IT WOULD UNDERMINE THESE EFFORTS IF WE WERE TO STATE OUR OBJECTIVES EXPLICITLY IN PUBLIC. THIS WOULD RUN THE RISK OF A BACKLASH ON THE PART OF THOSE GROUPS (PARTICULARLY IN THE UNITED STATES) WHO ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO MANDATORY REPATRIATION. IT WOULD LESSEN THE CHANCES OF A SATISFACTORY
ICIR.
OUTCOME TO THE
3. WITH THESE CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD TAKE THE FOLLOWING LINE:
HMG HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF ALL (ALL) THOSE SCREENED OUT AS NON-REFUGEES.
- HMG ARE DEVOTING ALL THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURING CREDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS AT THE ICIR FOR THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF ALL THOSE SCREENED OUT WITHIN A REALISTIC TIMESCALE.
THE DRAFT CPA AGREED AT KUALA LUMPUR WAS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD. BELIEVE IT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION. WE MUST BUILD ON THAT.
4. ON FINANCE, WE SUGGEST YOU ALSO REMIND MEMBERS OF THE UK'S EARLIER TWO CONTRIBUTIONS OF ?1 MILLION EACH. OUR CONTRIBUTION SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER THEREFORE AMOUNTS TO ?8 MILLION COVER ONE HUNDRED MILLION HONG KONG DOLLARS).
5. ON RESETTLEMENT, WE SUGGEST YOU SAY THAT HMG HAVE ALWAYS
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CONFIDENTIAL