CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 2+3 19 2+3/9
LICEN
135
134507 MDHIAN 3769
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO DESKBY 19090OZ FCO
TELNO 376
OF 190815Z JULY 89
AND TO DESKBY 19090OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
VBP: REPATRIATION
1.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
THIS MORNING I CALLED ON MINISTRY OF LABOUR. CHUONG WAS BACK IN CHARGE. LUC WAS BRIFLY PRESENT BUT THEN HAD TO LEAVE FOR A PARTY MEETING EXCLAMATION
2.
CHUONG MADE A NEW OFFER OF 660 DOLLARS PER HEAD LIMITED
TO THE FIRST BATCH OF RETURNEES AFTER WHICH WE SHOULD CONTINUE
NEGOTIATING A FIGURE FOR A LONGER PROGRAMME. HE SAID THAT THIS OFFER WAS MADE IN THE INTERESTS OF PREVENTING FURTHER DELAY. HE PREFACED THIS OFFER BY A LONG LECTURE ON THE HISTORICAL
ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM (I SHALL NOT BORE YOU WITH DETAILS) AND ON HOW REASONABLE THE VIETNAMESE WERE BEING. HE EXPLAINED AFTER I ASKED HIM CAND AFTER HE RECEIVED A SIMILAR LECTURE FROM ME)
THAT HE ENVISAGED THAT OUR NEGOTIATIONS AFTER THE FIRST BATCH WOULD COVER THE RANGE 660-679 DOLLARS AND NOT 600-660 DOLLARS. I SAID THAT THIS DID NOT SEEM LIKE A CONCESSION ON HIS SIDE AT ALL, RATHER QUITE A MAJOR ONE ON OURS. I TOLD HIM THAT I COULD
PROBABLY GET YOU TO AGREE TO 600 DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST BATCH AND
THAT AFTER THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO TALK AGAIN. I TOLD HIM
THAT I HAD COME PREPARED TO OFFER SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 600 FOR THE FIRST 1000 AND THAT THIS WOULD REMAIN THE CASE. HOWEVER I DID NOT MENTION A FIGURE. CHUONG DID NOT PURSUE THIS AND SAID THAT HE HAD
NO AUTHORITY TO DISCUSS ANYTHING BELOW 660 DOLLARS.
3. I SUGGESTED TO CHUONG THAT IN THE INTERESTS OF SPEEDY PROGRESS
IT MIGHT NOW SUIT BOTH SIDES TO SUSPEND NEGOTIATIONS ALTOGETHER UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST RETURNS WITHOUT EITHER SIDE COMMITTING ITSELF TO A FIGURE. THEN, WITH THE INCREASED SELF-CONFIDENCE OF A FIRST FLIGHT, WE COULD RESUME AT 600-679 DOLLARS. THE SUBSEQUENTLY AGREED FIGURE WOULD OF COURSE APPLY RETROSPECTIVELY. CHUONG SAID THAT HE DID NOT THINK MUCH OF THIS IDEA BUT HE WOULD REPORT IT TO
HIS SUPERIORS.
4.
I ADDED THAT THIS WOULD ALL BE DEPENDENT ON NO UNDUE DELAY
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CONFIDENTIAL