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MDHOAN 5123
A) TO BE SURE THAT NO-ONE IN HONG KONG WILL BE PLAYING UP THIS OPERATION AS QUASI-FORCIBLE, RATHER THAN ACQUIESCENT REPATRIATION AFTER COUNSELLING:
B) TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE PRESS THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME FORM OF INDEPENDENT WITNESS TO THE DEPARTURE IN HONG KONG, AND THAT SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT IN VIETNAM WILL BE MONITORED (ALBEIT, AT THIS STAGE, BY THE EMBASSY ALONE).
C) TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME REASONABLY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION OF WHY UNHCR WILL NOT BE INVOLVED.
5. WE EXPECT FURTHER PRESS PRESSURE ON 18 JULY. ANY FURTHER ADVICE BY 181200Z WOULD BE VERY WELCOME.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
109
DISTRIBUTION
115
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
NAD
NEWS
INFO D
FINANCE D
RMD
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
ADDITIONAL
6
MR MACHIN ODA 2 COPIES
MR G-HARRISON ODA
MR FLESHER B1 DIV HO LUNAR HSE
HKGO
LONDON
MRS B FAIR VSU QUEEN ANNES GTE
(HOME OFFICE)
NNNN
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