CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
243/8
35
070253 MDHOAN 4335
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1434
OF 03175OZ JULY 89
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
TOP COPY DIST ?
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1.
THE GUARDIAN OF 1 JULY CARRIED A REUTERS REPORT FROM HONG KONG ABOUT THE 26 JUNE TALKS IN HANOI, WHICH QUOTES DIPLOMATIC SOURCES AS SAYING THAT HONG KONG AND VIETNAM ARE NEAR AGREEMENT ON REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE, AND THAT SOME COULD GO BACK NEXT MONTH. QUOTE A DIPLOMAT UNQUOTE IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAVE INDICATED AGREEMENT, PROVIDED THE TERM FORCED REPATRIATION IS NOT USED AND THAT HANOI HAS GUARANTEED THESE PEOPLE WILL NOT BE HARRASSED.
2. GIVIEN THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE VIETNAMESE ATTACH TO CONFIDENTIALITY, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE SAID WHICH COULD DISRUPT THE WHOLE PROCESS WHILE ARRANGEMENTS ARE STILL BEING PUT IN HAND FOR REPATRIATION OF THE FIRST BATCH OF NON-VOLUNTEERS.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
31
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
31
NEWS DEPT
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR