SECRET
015716
MDHIAN251
WE SHALL PROVIDE NUMBERS AND DETAILS OF THE ACCOMPANYING OFFICIALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
4. ON THE QUESTION OF AID TO THE VILLAGES TO WHICH THE BOAT PEOPLE RETURN, IT MIGHT ENCOURAGE FURTHER VIETNAMESE CO-OPERATION IF HANOI COULD BE AUTHORISED TO MAKE SOME GENERAL COMMENT AT THIS STAGE IN ADVANCE OF THE FIRST REPATRIATION. WE UNDERSTAND
THAT YOU ARE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO AUTHORISE DISCUSSIONS BUT AS SEEN FROM HERE THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO BE GAINED BY AUTHORISING HANOI TO SAY THAT HMG IS PREPARED TO CONSIDER SUCH AID FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE FIRST REPATRIATION EXERCISE.
5. ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE VIETNAMESE FOLLOWING THE RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP WILL IN OUR VIEW BE THE EXPANSION OF THE RECEPTION FACILITIES IN VIETNAM. WE SHALL LET YOU HAVE OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS AS SOON AS WE CAN. FOR THE PRESENT, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE HAVE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS WITH OUR EVALUATION OF THE OPTIONS FOR RETURNING LARGE GROUPS BY SHIP. THE
MAIN OBSTACLE TO SUCH A PROGRAMME IS LIKELY TO BE THE ABILITY OF
THE VIETNAMESE TO RECEIVE LARGE NUMBERS OF RETURNEES.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
113
DISTRIBUTION
121
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
FED
NAD
NEWS
INFO D
FINANCE D
RMD
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/MR SAINSBURY
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/MRS CHALKER
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
MR MCLAREN
MR MOSS
MR BLATHERWICK
PAGE
2
SECRET