1. C. Mr
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Mr Jewell
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From the Private Secretary
Dear Stema.
SECRET
Head FEAD
(477)
41 MON
10 DOWNING STREET
LONDON SW1A 2AA
HKB 243 la
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
Bit Mande
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P/ und Rebana
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MAD Nes Dept
7 December 1989
Spend Aduses
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The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary had a brief discussion of Vietnamese boat people after MISC 141 this morning. The Foreign Secretary told the Prime Minister of the misgivings of HM Ambassador, Washington and his concern that forced repatriation would cause very grave damage to our relations with the Americans. The Foreign Secretary said he did not think that we could now go back on our decision to repatriate a 'plane load of boat people next Monday evening. But in the light of Secretary Baker's visit on Monday, he felt we must give the Americans fair warning. He therefore proposed to send Mr. Baker a message, referring to the Prime Minister's discussions with the President at Camp David, and making clear our determination to go. ahead. The Prime Minister agreed that it would be right to inform Secretary Baker, without giving him precise details of the first flight in case they should leak. She also agreed that we must go ahead as planned. She had received reports of the conduct of Vietnamese boat people in the camps in Hong Kong which caused her very great concern.
The Foreign Secretary pointed out that we were likely to face hostile public and political reaction. Although there was no question of using the Army or of television pictures of guns and bayonets, there remained the risk that the refugees would refuse to leave the aircraft on arrival in Vietnam. This would leave us with the choice of having to use force, or the humiliation of taking the aircraft and its passengers back to Hong Kong. There could also be protests in this country and demands for an emergency debate in th House of Commons. The Prime Minister pointed out that these would have to be faced whenever we took action. We had tried every other avenue and there was now no alternative than to keep our nerve and to go ahead with repatriation.
Stephen Wall, Esq.,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
SECRET
(CHARLES POWELL)