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104603
MDHIAN 8495
TO DESKBY 11063OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 112
OF 11053OZ DECEMBER 89
INFO DESKBY 11063OZ FCO
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON
TOP COP Q DIST
T
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
SUMMARY
1. VIETNAMESE EMPHASISE NO USE OF FORCE: NO ARMY OR POLICE PERSONNEL
ON AIRCRAFT. NO PUBLICITY. AFTER DISCUSSION AGREE TO PRESENCE OF SOME POLICE, POINTING OUT THAT THEY WILL HAVE ONLY TWO ON DUTY AT THE AIRPORT. I RECOMMEND VERY SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN NUMBERS OF POLICEMEN PROPOSED FOR THE FLIGHT. THEY AGREE/AGREE TO SUBSEQUENT PUBLICITY BUT WORD ''FORCED'' SHOULD NOT BE USED.
DETAIL
2. I CALLED ON LE THO OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT AT HIS REQUEST
THIS MORNING: MR NGUYEN CAN OF THE INTERIOR MINISTRY WAS
PRESENT. THO RE-EMPHASIZED THE VIETNAMESE VIEW THAT THE RETURN TOMORROW WAS TO BE WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE JUNE AGREEMENT AND THAT NO REPEAT NO FORCE SHOULD BE USED. IF FORCE WERE SEZN BY THE VIET- NAMESE SIDE TO BE USED ON ARRIVAL EG. IN FORCING PEOPLE OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DOWN THE STEPS, THE OPERATION WOULD BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY. NO REPEAT NO ARMY PERSONNEL OR POLICEMEN
SHOULD BE ON THE AIRCRAFT. NO REPEAT NO PUBLICITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE OPERATION BEFORE, DURING OR EVEN AFTERWARDS.
3. CAN RE-EMPHASIZED THESE POINTS AND ADDED:
(A) THE PROCEDURE AT THE AIRPORT WOULD BE SPEEDIER THAN FOR THE
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATES: HE WISHED TO GET THE RETURNEES OFF TO THE TRANSMIT CAMP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
(B) NO VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS WOULD BOARD THE AIRCRAFT.
(C) HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES WOULD WAIT FOR 15 MINUTES AFTER THE AIRCR-
AFT HAD STOPPED: IF NO RETURNEES HAD APPEARED BY THEN HE WOULD ASSUME THAT THEIR EXIT FROM THE AIRCRAFT WOULD ONLY BE POSSIBLE BY FORCE, WHICH WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE, AND HE WOULD LEAVE, TERMINATING THE OPERATION.
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