CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 24319
11&JUL 1989
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2379
OF 15050OZ JULY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON,
HANOI
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
115
126644 MDHIAN 3428
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR
(108)
MY TELNO 2372: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REPATRIATION: PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS
·
1 I HAVE BEEN GIVING MORE THOUGHT TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO
OFFER UNHCR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MONITOR THE OPERATION. RISK OF LEAKAGE
IS A REAL WORRY SINCE THAT COULD GREATLY COMPLICATE THE OPERATION.
THE POSSIBILITY THAT, GIVEN THEIR PRESENT STANCE, UNHCR WOULD TURN DOWN THE OFFER, IS ALSO REAL. NEVERTHELESS, I AM INCLINED TO THINK IT BETTER TO MAKE THE OFFER, AND HAVE IT REFUSED, RATHER THAN DELIBERATELY EXCLUDE THEM. ALSO, IN VAN LEEUWEN THE NEW UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE, WE HAVE A PERSON WHO IS POTENTIALLY A USEFUL, PRAGMATIC, ALLY. I DO NOT WISH TO START OFF WITH HIM ON THE WRONG FOOT.
2. I HAVE THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD OFFER UNHCR,
IN ADDITION TO AN NGO (PROBABLY OXFAM) THE CHANCE TO MONITOR THE OPERATION. TO REDUCE RISKS OF LEAKS, WE WOULD MAKE THIS OFFER ON THE EVENING BEFORE THE OPERATION AND SAY ONLY THAT WE WERE ON THE POINT
OF CARRYING OUT A REPATRIATION, WITHOUT GOING INTO PRECISE DETAILS. WE WOULD SAY THAT UNHCR COULD OBSERVE IF THEY WISH ALTHOUGH WE WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THEY PREFERRED NOT TO DO SO. WHETHER OR NOT THEY WISHED TO OBSERVE, WE WOULD IMPRESS ON VAN LEEUWEN THAT WE WERE TRUSTING HIM
TO DEAL WITH THE INFORMATION WE HAD GIVEN IN TOTAL CONFIDENCE.
WILSON
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL