SECRET
467
075077
MDHIAN 8020
нив
24319
SECRET
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 671
OF 07053OZ DECEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON
CHONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR)
(460
DOL
HONG KONG TELNO 4020 TO FCO: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
1. THE CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE USE OF SOLDIERS, FIREARMS, BATONS AND LEG-IRONS IS WELCOME. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT HANDCUFFS OR PLASTIC WRIST RESTRAINERS MIGHT BE USED. THERE MUST BE MORE THAN AN EVEN CHANCE THAT ANY RETURNEE WHOSE ATTITUDE TO REPATRIATION IS SUCH AS TO OCCASION THE USE OF HANDCUFFS OR PLASTIC WRIST RESTRAINERS IS GOING TO REQUIRE MORE THAN THE MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE FORCE TO GET HIM/HER OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS SHOULD BE RECOGNISED NOW AND WE SHOULD ACCEPT NOW THAT IF ANY RETURNEES HAVE TO BE HANDCUFFED TO GET THEM ON TO THE AIRCRAFT, THEY ARE QUITE LIKELY NOT REPEAT NOT TO BE DISEMBARKABLE IN HANOI, AND WILL HAVE TO BE ACCEPTED BACK IN HONG KONG. WE SHOULD DECIDE NOW THAT HANDCUFFS OR WRIST-RESTRAINERS MUST REPEAT MUST BE REMOVED AT A CERTAIN POINT IN THE JOURNEY: I WOULD SUGGEST NO LATER THAN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IS AT A STAND-STILL, BUT BEFORE ANY DOOR IS OPENED. THE SENIOR SECURITY BRANCH OFFICIALS'
BRIEF SHOULD BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THESE POINTS.
2. AS FOR THE HUNGER STRIKE ISSUE, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CLARIFICATION OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND GIVEN THE POINT IN PARA- GRAPH 2 OF MY TELNO 660 TO FCO.
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