CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 14193OZ PARIS
TELNO 585
OF 14183OZ JULY 89
AND TO DESKBY 150015Z
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243 19
MDHOAN 4952
TOP COPY C DIST ?
HONIARA
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, WASHINGTON
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI
AND TO ROUTINE OTTAWA, TOKYO, CANBERRA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR AND TO ROUTINE JAKARTA, SINGAPORE, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, MANILA AND TO ROUTINE UKREP BRUSSELS
FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY/SECRETARY OF STATE
HONIARA PLEASE PASS TO TARAWA FOR PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION: BRIEFING FOR SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH BAKER
1. WE HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON ARRANGEMENTS TO REPATRIATE BOAT PEOPLE WHO FALL INTO THE GREY AREA BETWEEN THOSE WHO ACTIVELY VOLUNTEER TO RETURN AND THOSE WHO WOULD RESIST REPATRIATION. THE FIRST GROUP OF 20-23 ARE ALL BOAT PEOPLE WHOSE SCREENING OUT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AFTER COMPLETION OF THE APPEALS STAGE. WE HAD ORIGINALLY HOPED THAT THIS FIRST GROUP COULD RETURN TO VIETNAM ON 17 JULY. IT IS NOW CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE BECAUSE:-
(A) WE HAVE YET TO CONCLUDE THE AGREEMENT WITH HANOI ON THE
(B)
2.
PRECISE AMOUNT OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE TO BE PAID. WE ANTICIPATE, BARRING LAST MINUTE VIETNAMESE INTRANSIGENCE, THAT THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE DAYS.
DIRECT EXPENDITURE ON REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IS A NEW ACTIVITY FOR THE FCO, AND REQUIRES PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY (OUR SHARE OF THE COSTS OF REPATRIATING VOLUNTEERS HAS BEEN PAID THROUGH UNHCR). BEFORE WE CAN ENTER ANY AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE WHICH COULD INVOLVE COMMITMENT OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT FUNDS, WE NEED TO NOTIFY PARLIAMENT BY MEANS OF AN ARRANGED PQ. THE TEXT OF THIS HAS NOW BEEN AGREED WITH THE TREASURY: IT WILL BE TABLED ON 17 JULY AND THE ANSWER CAN BE GIVEN THE DAY BEFORE THE INTENDED REPATRIATION FLIGHT.
GIVEN THE DEGREE OF ADVERSE CRITICISM THE REPATRIATION EXERCISE IS LIKELY TO GENERATE IN THE US, WITH UNHCR, WITH SOME
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