SECRET
HKB
24319
432
055446
MDHIAN 7032
SECRET
FM HANOI
TO DESKBY 010830Z FCO
TELNO 652
OF 01040OZ DECEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CHONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
428
TOP COP Q DIST ?
HONG TELNO 3948: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1. WE SHOULD BE UNDER NO DOUBT THAT THE DEGREE OF FORCE ENVISAGED, THE SCALE OF THE POLICE PRESENCE ON THE AIRCRAFT AND IN PARTICULAR THE SUGGESTION THAT UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS
ESCORT THE RETURNEES OFF THE AIRCRAF TO GO FAR BEYOND WHAT THE VIETNAMESE BELIEVE THEY AGREED TO IN JUNE, AND WOULD BE REGARDED BY THEM AS A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE AGREEMENT. THEY CERTAINLY
GO FAR BEYOND WHAT I WAS GIVEN PRIVATELY TO UNDERSTAND AT THE
TIME OF THE JUNE DISCUSSIONS AND SIGNIFICANTLY BEYOND WHAT WAS
PROPOSED IN HONG KONG TELNO 3423.
2. THE VIETNAMESE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ALL STILL TALKING ABOUT THE ''GREY-AREA'' PEOPLE. THACH HIMSELF WENT OUT OF HIS WAY LAST NIGHT TO EMPHASISE TO ME OVER DINNER HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS THAT THIS FIRST FLIGHT SHOULD GO SMOOTHLY AND THAT THE VIETNAMESE WERE OPPOSED TO THE USE OF FORCE. WHILE I DETECT SOME FLEXIBILITY ON
THE VIETNAMESE SIDE AND A PREPAREDNESS TO CLOSE THEIR EYES
TO A DEGREE OF DISCREET COMPULSION, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE MILITARY STYLE OPERATION NOW PROPOSED.
3. THE CRUNCH WOULD COME WHEN WE SEEK FORMAL CLEARANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT, AS WE MUST. OUR REQUEST WOULD BE DEALT WITH AS USUAL BY CONSULAR DEPARTMENT IE. THE DEPARTMENT WHICH DEALS WITH THE
REFUGEES PROBLEM. THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY SPOT THE ENORMOUS NUMBER
OF POLICEMEN ON THE SCHEDULE AND DEMAND AN EXPLANATION. WE SHOULD
ASSUME THAT FLIGHT CLEARANCE WOULD NOT BE FORTHCOMING UNTIL THE
VIETNAMESE WERE SATISFIED THAT WE WERE ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JUNE AGREEMENT.
4. IT WOULD BE WORTH TRYING ON THE VIETNAMESE ONLY IF THE POLICE PRESENCE COULD BE RESTRICTED TO FIFTEEN OR SO, IE. A REASONABLY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE PASSENGER LOAD RATHER THAN THE VAST