CONFIDENTIAL
14142
MDHIAN 405.
MUCH WOULD DEPEND ON THE DETAILS, BUT PROVIDED THAT THOSE BEING RETURNED HAD GENUINELY ACQUIESCED, HE THOUGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT.
6.
SELIN ADDED THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER POSITIVE THINGS WHICH WE COULD DO TOGETHER. IN PARTICULAR, WE COULD MAKE A JOINT APPROACH TO THE PHILIPPINES OVER A REGIONAL HOLDING CENTRE AND COULD COORDINATE APPROACHES TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO PROVIDE FUNDS. IT WOULD ALSO BE USEFUL FOR THE US AND UK DELEGATIONS TO GET TOGETHER BEFORE THE START OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IN BANGKOK NEXT WEEK TO WORK OUT HOW TO AVOID ARGUMENTS BETWEEN US AT THE MEETING ON REPATRIATION. THE US REPRESENTATIVE IN BANGKOK
WILL BE FUNSETH.
7. PERLOW (UK DESK OFFICER, WHO WAS ALSO PRESENT) ADDED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT IN WINNING WIDER ACCEPTANCE OF OUR POSITION HERE TO BE ABLE TO POINT TO EFFECTIVE MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS IN VIETNAM. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, ALTHOUGH WE HOPED TO INVOLVE INDEPENDENT BODIES IN DUE COURSE, INCLUDING IF POSSIBLE THE UNHCR.
COMMENT
8. SELIN'S APPROACH WAS NOTICEABLY MORE POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE THAN EAGLEBURGER'S. THIS MAY IN PART REFLECT THE FACT THAT (ACCORDING TO ONE CONTACT IN STATE) BAKER HAD ON RETURN FROM EUROPE ASKED EAGLEBURGER TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS BETWEEN US ON BOAT PEOPLE. SELIN EMPHASISED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE US HAD NO WISH TO GET DRAWN INTO A PUBLIC ARGUMENT WITH US. IT WILL THEREFORE BE MOST IMPORTANT TO PRESENT THE REPATRIATION IN A WAY WHICH MAXIMISES THE CHANCE OF THE ADMINISTRATION BEING ABLE TO ACCEPT IT (FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW IT IS MOST UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS MORNING'S US PRESS CARRIES COMMENTS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING (DATELINED HONG KONG) IN THE WASHINGTON POST: QUOTE HONG KONG IS SECRETLY PREPARING FOR THE FORCED REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, GOVERNMENT SOURCES DISCLOSED YESTERDAY UNQUOTE. THERE IS ALSO A PIECE IN THE WASHINGTON TIMES PICKING UP THE GUARDIAN REPORT AND HEADLINED QUOTE HONG KONG REFUGEES SET TO FACE RETURN BY FORCE TO VIETNAM UNQUOTE.). THE DEGREE OF OUTSIDE MONITORING BOTH OF THE SCREENING AND DEPARTURE ARRANGEMENTS AND THEN OF THE SITUATION IN VEITNAM AFTER RETURN WILL PROVE TO BE OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE. 9. BUT HOWEVER RESTRAINED THE ADMINISTRATION ARE IN THEIR INITIAL PUBLIC REACTION, THERE REMAINS A CLEAR RISK THAT CONGRESS WILL REACT MORE STRONGLY AND THAT THIS IN TURN WILL OBLIGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE A TOUGHER LINE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FURTHER THE TIMING MAY SLIP, BUT IT WOULD REDUCE THE CHANCES OF A