CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
24319
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2405
OF 181116Z JULY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
124
132131
MDHIAN 3623
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TOP COPY Q DIST ?
HANOI TELNO 370 TO YOU: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
THE VIETNAMESE POSITION ON REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE IS
DISAPPOINTING.
QUITE APART FROM THE MONEY, WHICH SEEMS OF GREATER CONCERN TO THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR THAN WE HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE VIETNAMESE NOW DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP BEFORE THE SECOND STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IN BANGKOK ON 24 JULY. IT THAT IS INDEED THE CASE, THEN EVEN IF WE CONCEDED ON THE AMOUNT OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE PER PERSON, THERE WOULD STILL BE NO PROSPECT OF THE FIRST REPATRIATION EXERCISE TAKING PLACE BEFORE THE END OF NEXT WEEK. IF THEIR AIM IS TO DELAY THE RETURN THEY COULD ALSO RAISE THE PRETEXT OF NEEDING FURTHER TIME TO VERIFY THE LIST OF
POTENTIAL RETURNEES.
2. IF WE WISH TO PURSUE THIS AT A HIGHER LEVEL (PARA 6 OF TUR), THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE MARGINS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IN BANGKOK. IT WOULD BE HELP- FUL IF HANOI COULD ASCERTAIN WHO WILL BE LEADING THE VIETNAMESE
DELEGATION TO THE BANGKOK MEETING.
3. IF IT IS EVENTUALLY JUDGED THAT SOME MOVEMENT ON OUR SIDE IS REQUIRED TO CONCLUDE THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE VIETNAMESE, WE SHALL NEED TO DECIDE A NEW UPPER LIMIT FOR REINT- EGRATION ASSISTANCE. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON A MAXIMUM FIGURE OF US DOLLARS 650 . WE WOULD NOT/NOT ADVOCATE FALLING BACK ON THIS FIGURE UNLESS IT BECOMES CLEAR AFTER (OR AT) (SEE PARA 2) BANGKOK THAT MONEY IS THE ONE REMAINING
STUMBLING BLOCK.
WILSON
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