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065222
MDHIAN 7531
445
HKB
2+3 19
TOP COPY Q DIST?
FM HANOI
TO DESKBY 05083OZ FCO
TELNO 663
OF 050445Z DECEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONGO KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
see Folio 411
MY TELNO 649: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1 I HAVE RECEIVED THIS MORNING A 'NOTE FOR THE
RECORD'' DATED 1 DECEMBER FROM THE MFA WHICH READS
AS FOLLOWS:
(REGARDING THE MEETING IN THE MORNING OF 30 NOVEMBER 1989 BETWEEN MR LE THO, ACTING CHIEF OF THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT AND MR EMRYS THOMAS DAVIES, AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND IN HANOI)
ACCORDING TO AFP'S NEWS, ON 28.11.1989, THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI, STATED THAT AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND VIETNAM CONCERNING THE FORCIBLE REPATRIATION HAD BEEN REACHED
ON PRINCIPLES DURING THE VISIT TO LONDON BY FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN CO THACH IN JUNE 1989 (SEMI-COLON) AND THE FIRST FLIGHT OF FORCIBLE REPATRIATION WILL CONSIST OF ONLY NEARLY 100 PERSONS (SEMI-COLON) VIETNAM ENSURES SECURITY, WITHOUT APPLYING PUNISHMENT AGAINST THOSE PERSONS AND CONSIDERS THE LATTER AS IN THE CASE OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATED PERSONS.
THE VIETNAM SIDE REITERATES ITS CONSTANT POSITION E.G. THE REALIZATION OF A VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. IT REJECTS FORCIBLE REPATRIATION AND PROPOSES THE BRITISH SIDE TO CORRECTLY PUT INTO APPLICATION THE AGREEMENT WHICH HAD BEEN REACHED ON 26.6.89 WITHOUT PUBLIC NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE REPATRIATION OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AT PRESENT IN HONG KONG, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS AGREEMENT.
2. THIS OF COURSE REINFORCES THE POINTS MADE IN MY TELEGRAMS NO'S 652, 660 AND 662.
DAVIES
FCO PSE PASS HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON
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