CONFIDENTIAL
HKCB
24319
388
020171 MDLIAN 8004
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 623
OF 21015OZ NOVEMBER 89
1380
MY TELNO 579: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
1. WHEN I CALLED ON LE THO OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT MFA YESTERDAY MORNING HE REVERTED TO THE SUBJECT OF, AS HE SAW IT, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN HMG'S PUBLIC PUSHING OF A MAXIMALIST LINE ON REPATRIATION AND OUR DESIRE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON A BILATERAL BASIS. HE SHOWED ME THE TEXTS OF AMENDMENTS TO THE UNHCR DOCUMENT FOR SC3 WHICH HE CLAIMED THE UK HAD TABLED. AGAIN I WAS UNSIGHTED, AND REITERATED THE LINE I TOOK ON 1 NOVEMBER. HE LOOKED THOROUGHLY DUBIOUS BUT DID NOT RAISE AGAIN THE PROPOSITION THAT I SHOULD LET HIM HAVE MY VIEWS IN WRITING. IN THE ABSENCE OF A REACTION TO MY TUR, I HAVE NOT OF COURSE COMMITED MYSELF IN WRITING.
2. YOU MAY THINK IT PRUDENT IN FUTURE TO ENSURE THAT I AM KEPT ABREAST OF DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO THE SC3: LE THO IS UNFORTUNATELY THE KEY FIGURE IN A WHOLE RAFT OF ISSUES OF CONCERN TO US AND I WOULD NOT WISH HIM TO GAIN THE NOTION THAT WE HAVE
LITTLE REGARD FOR HIM.
DAVIES
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
111
DISTRIBUTION
119
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
RMD
PS
PAGE
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/MR SAINSBURY
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
1
CONFIDENTIAL