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TOP COPY HKB 243/5Q DIST?
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101604 MDHOAN 4553
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 07030OZ HANOI
TELNO 237
OF 06164OZ JULY 89
INFO DESKBY 07010OZ HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
53-54
49
YOUR TELNOS 342-3 AND HONG KONG TELNO 2251: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE DRAFT IN FIRST TUR. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, WHICH ARE INCORPORATED IN THE REVISED DRAFT IN MIFT. YOU SHOULD PUT THIS TO CHUONG ON AN AD REFERENDUM BASIS. THESE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HONG KONG'S COMMENTS (TELECON BARNES/FOOTMAN).
2.
IN PARTICULAR:
(A) HONG KONG WISH TO REFER TO THE UNDERTAKINGS/RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE QUOTE BRITISH SIDE UNQUOTE RATHER THAN OF THE QUOTE UK AND HK GOVERNMENTS UNQUOTE. ALTHOUGH TECHNICALLY LEGCO HAVE NOT YET VOTED FUNDS FOR REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE, WE TAKE IT THAT THEIR APPROVAL IS A FORMALITY. WE WOULD MUCH PREFER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO BE SPECIFIED IN THE AGREEMENT. COULD HKG PLEASE CONFIRM, COPYING IMMEDIATE TO HANOI.
(B) HONG KONG PREFER THE ARRANGEMENT TO RUN FOR 1,000 RETURNEES, RATHER THAN FOR A SPECIAL PERIOD, TO FACILITATE AUTHORISATION OF A SPECIFIC SUM BY LEGCO. WE AGREE.
(C) THE NATURE OF THE AGREEMENT IS SUCH THAT IT SHOULD BE AN
QUOTE ARRANGEMENT UNQUOTE RATHER THAN AN QUOTE AGREEMENT
UNQUOTE.
COULD HLG ALSO CONFIRM THEY ARE CONTENT.
3. PARA 3 OF SECOND TUR. WE THINK IT DESIRABLE THAT VOLUNTEERS AND NON-VOLUNTEERS SHOULD BE TREATED ALIKE. WE WOULD HAVE SOME
DIFFICULTLY IN DEFENDING A DISCRIMINATORY APPROACH ON WHAT IS
ALREADY A SENSITIVE MATTER. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE AVOID THE
ARGUMENT THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR NON-VOLUNTEERS SHOULD BE IN ANY
WAY INFERIOR TO THOSE FOR VOLUNTEERS. OUR AIM IS TO PUT IN HAND
ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WILL BE GENERALLY IN LINE WITH UNHCR'S. 4. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR HONG KONG'S AGREEMENT IN THIRD TUR TO OUR PROPOSED UPPER (REPEAT UPPER) LIMIT OF USD 500-USD600. WE
HOPE IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE SOME SAVINGS IN VIETNAM OR IN
THE COST OF RETURNING THE BOAT PEOPLE TO VIETNAM.
5.
WE WILL IN DUE COURSE NEED TO AGREE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYMENTS
TO THE VIETNAMESE. WE SUGGEST THESE BE PHASED TO RELATE TO THE
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