CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 532
OF 160945Z FEBRUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
HED SOPY a DIST379
Q
120236
MDHIAN 2726
48
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE:
REPATRIATION
1. WE UNDERSTAND FROM ICM THAT ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE
RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS. THE CHARTER FLIGHT WILL BE PROVIDED BY DRAGONAIR, LEAVING HONG KONG AT 17.30 ON 2 MARCH. ARRIVAL TIME AT HANOI IS SCHEDULED FOR 18.55 AND THE AIRCRAFT WILL
LEAVE HANOI FOR HONG KONG AT 19.40.
2. THIS FLIGHT PLAN HAS YET TO BE CLEARED IN HANOI AND HONG KONG BUT
WE DO NOT EXPECT ANY PROBLEMS AT THIS END. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE
MIGHT BE A PROBLEM AT THE HANOI END IN THAT THE AIRPORT NORMALLY
CLOSES AT 18.00 ICM WILL APPROACH THE VIETNAMESE TO ASK THEM TO MAKE
A SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THIS INCOMING FLIGHT. PERHAPS HANOI COULD
ASK THE VIETNAMESE TO CLEAR THE FLIGHT PLAN QUICKLY.
3. WE UNDERSTAND THAT A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF HONG KONG JOURNALISTS HAVE REQUESTED VISAS TO COVER THE RETURN OF THE FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS. THERE IS SOME CONCERN HERE THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAVE GIVEN NO INDICATION OF THEIR INTENTIONS ON THESE VISAS. IT IS VERY MUCH IN OUR INTEREST THAT THERE SHOULD BE FULL COVERAGE OF THE RETURN FROM THE VIETNAMESE END, AND ANY ASSISTANCE WHICH HANOI COULD PROVIDE IN EXPEDITING THESE VISAS WOULD BE WELCOME.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
92
DISTRIBUTION
98
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL