CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243/
108
123703 MDHIAN 3295
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 14130OZ FCO
TELNO 2372
OF 14120OZ JULY 89
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN FROM GOVERNOR
YOUR TELNOS 1505 AND 1506 : VBP: REPATRIATION: PRESENTATIONAL
ASPECTS
WE TOO HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO MANAGE THE PRESENTAT-
IONAL ASPECTS OF REPATRIATION THE FIRST GROUP OF NON-VOLUNTEERS.
WE ARE NOW PLANNING FOR RETURN ON WEDNESDAY 19 JULY. PROPOSED
OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE SENT IN A SEPARATE TELEGRAM.
2.
3=
WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO PREVENT ARRANGEMENTS LEAKING. THIS IS IMPORTANT SO AS TO AVOID A PAPER-CHASE WITH THE PRESS WHICH MIGHT WELL INSPIRE SOME OF THOSE LEAVING TO PROTEST AND, IN A WORST CASE, FORCE US TO ABORT.
4.·
WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF FILIMING BUT HAVE DECIDED
AGAINST. DOING SO SEEMS UNNECESSARILY DEFENSIVE. THOSE INCLINED
TO CRITICISE WOULD IN ANY CASE QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF THE FILM. INSTEAD WE WILL ARRANGE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH CAN BE RELEASED TO
THE PRESS. I AGREE THAN AN INDEPENDENT WITNESS WOULD BE USEFUL. ASKING UNHCR HAS THEORETICAL ATTRACTIONS. BUT, GIVEN THE POSITION THEY HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN ON REPATRIATION THEY WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY REFUSE AND, IN THE PROCESS, NEWS OF THE OPERATION WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY LEAK. WE ARE CONSIDERING AN NGO REPRESENTATIVE INSTEAD.
5.
THERE IS VERY LITTLE MILEAGE IN TRYING TO GET THE REPATRIATES
TO SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER ACCEPTING REPATRIATION. SINCE THEY HAVE NOT AGRRED TO SIGN A PIECE OF PAPER VOLUNTEERING TO RETURN, IT MUST BE VERY DOUBTFUL THAT THEY WILL SIGN ANYTHING SAYING THAT THEY ACCEPT REPATRIATION. IF THEY REUSE, OR IF SOME SIGN AND SOME DO NOT, WE SHALL BE WORSE OFF THAN IF WE DO NOT MAKE THE REQUEST. EVEN ALL AGREED TO SIGN, IT IS DOUBTFUL IF THIS WILL CARRY MUCH CREDIBILITY WITH THOSE WHO ARE INCLINED TO CRITICISE.
6.
MY FIRST IFT CONTAINS THE PRESS LINE WE WILL BE TAKING UNTIL
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