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124101
MDHIAN 3312
CONFIDENTIAL
FM WASHINGTON
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1901
OF 1413OOZ JULY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 243 la
13 JUL 1989
TOP COPY © DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA HANOI, BIS NEW YORK
YOUR TELS 1505 AND 1506 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REPATRIATION: PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS
1.
ALTHOUGH THE US MEDIA HAVE FOCUSED LITTLE ON OUR INTENTION TO REPATRIATE NONVOLUNTEERS, THIS IS LIKELY TO BECOME AN ISSUE ONCE NEWS OF THE FIRST SHIPMENT GETS OUT, AND IS BOUND TO IF THE ADMINISTRATION CRITICISES US IN PUBLIC. WE HOPE THEREFORE THAT YOU WILL MAKE A POINT OF
BRIEFING US JOURNALISTS IN LONDON.
2. ON THE SUBSTANCE, THE KEY POINTS FOR US ARE THE EXTENSIVE NATURE OF THE SCREENING PROCESS UNDER UNHCR INVIGILATION, THE COUNSELLING OF THOSE SCREENED OUT, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR ACQUIESCENCE.
3.
WE WELCOME THE DEGREE OF TRANSPARENCY YOU PROPOSE: THE PRESENCE OF INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS FROM UNHCR, SAVE THE CHILDREN, OXFAM AND THE IDEA OF FILMING THE REPATRIATION EXERCISE.
FALL
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
109
DISTRIBUTION
115
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
INFO D
FINANCE D
RMD
PAGE
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
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CONFIDENTIAL