CONFIDENTIAL
(251
113435 MDHIAN 4702
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
HKB
24319
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA
・246
HANOI TELNO 80: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1
ย
WE ARE PLEASED TO SEE FROM TUR THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAVE NOW CLEARED QUOTE IN PRINCIPLE UNQUOTE THE 114 NON-VOLUNTEERS FOR RETURN. WITH THE 26 PEOPLE PREVIOUSLY CLEARED WE NOW HAVE A TOTAL OF 140 CANDIDATES FOR EARLY REPATRIATION.
2. THE AIR CHARTER COMPANY ARRANGING THE FLIGHT SEE NO MAJOR DIFFICULTY WITH OUR CURRENT PLANS FOR THE REPATRIATION EXERCISE. WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT OUR NORMAL REPATRIATION PROCEDURES WILL BE USED AND THAT THIS MIGHT INVOLVE THE USE OF A MINIMUM DEGREE OF FORCE WHERE NECESSARY. PROVIDED WE ARE PREPARED TO DEPLOY POLICE OFFICERS UP TO A RATIO OF ONE TO ONE WITH RETURNEES FOR THE FLIGHT (IF WE JUDGE AT THE TIME THAT SUCH A RATIO IS NEEDED), THEY HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO OUR ARRANGEMENTS. WE SHALL CONTINUE WITH OUR COUNSELLING WORK WITH A VIEW TO SELECTING BETWEEN 30-50 PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST FLIGHT.
3. ON TIMING, IN THE LIGHT OF TUR AND BEARING IN MIND THE TWO WEEKS NOTICE REQUIRED BY HANOI, IT WOULD NOW BE POSSIBLE IN THEORY TO ARRANGE THE FLIGHT DURING SEPTEMBER, OR EARLY OCTOBER, RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE IN MID-OCTOBER. IF HOWEVER WE STICK TO A LATER DATE AFTER THE STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING THEN I WOULD PREFER TO AVOID THE PERIOD OF 13-22 OCTOBER WHEN I SHALL BE IN THE UNITED STATES. I THINK I OUGHT TO BE IN HONG KONG WHEN THE OPERATION IS CARRIED OUT. ALLOWING A SHORT GAP AFTER MY RETURN AS ENVISAGED IN MY TELNO 2926. THIS SUGGESTS THE WEEK BEGINNING 30 OCTOBER FOR THE FIRST REPATRIATION EXERCISE. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR PLANNING ON THIS BASIS. WE WOULD WISH TO KEEP THIS PLANNING ASSUMPTION STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
4. SEEN FROM HERE, WE HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN FROM A FURTHER DELAY IN CONCLUDING THE AGREEMENT WITH THE VIETNAMESE. CHANGING
CIRCUMSTANCES, I.E. CAMBODIA AND THE PARTY PLENUM, MIGHT LEAD TO CHANGED ASSESSMENTS OF VIETNAMESE INTERESTS AND IT MIGHT THEREFORE
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL