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011574
MDHIAN 5028
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3818
OF 17103OZ NOVEMBER 89
4K B
243/9
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
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WASHINGTON TELNOS 2977, 2978 AND 2979: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
WE SHARE WASHINGTON'S CONCERN TO LIMIT THE DAMAGE ON THIS ISSUE. WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FORCE OF THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER SHOULD INFORM THE PRESIDENT ON 24 NOVEMBER OF ANY DECISION TO PROCEED WITH MANDATORY REPATRIATION. HOWEVER, WE MUST ADVISE AGAINST GIVING THE AMERICANS OR ANYONE ELSE 24 HOURS NOTICE OF THE FIRST FLIGHT.
2.
IF WE ARE TO MAXIMISE THE CHANCES OF A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MINIMISE THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING LEAKS. SEEN FROM HERE, THE DAMAGE LIIMITATION BENEFITS OF BRIEFINGS ARE FAR OUTWEIGHED BY THE RISKS TO THE OPERATION FROM LEAKS OR EARLY COMMENT FROM U.S. OR, FOR EXAMPLE, UNHCR SPOKESMEN. WE RECOMMEND THAT THERE BE NO BRIEFINGS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS UNTIL THE OPERATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. WE SHALL GIVE FURTHER THOUGHT TO PRESS HANDLING AND DIPLOMATIC BRIEFINGS, BUT FOR THE PRESENT WE SHOULD LIKE IT TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT PRE-DEPARTURE BRIEFINGS OF ANY KIND WOULD JEOPARDISE THE SUCCESS
OF THE OPERATION.
3. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT LETTER TO
CONGRESSMEN.
PARAGRAPH 2. HONG KONG HAS IN EFFECT BEEN PROVIDING FIRST ASYLUM SINCE 1975. WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH OF A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE WE MIGHT ADD THE WORDS AT THE END OF THE FIRST SENTENCE QUOTE AND CONTINUES TO DO SO UNQUOTE.
PARAGRAPH 3. WHEN WE DISCUSS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DEFINITIVELY SCREENED OUT WE MIGHT MAKE THE ADDITIONAL POINT THAT UNHCR HAVE A RIGHT TO REVIEW EVERY APPEAL RESULT AND TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION I.E. THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF THEIR MANDATE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WE CAN NEVER BE ACCUSED OF RETURNING A PERSON WHOM THE UNHCR
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