CONFIDENTIAL
MKD 24319
(3/1
033022
MDHOAN 3642
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI
TELNO 39
OF 27143OZ JANUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
(31)
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
YOUR TELNOS 48-49: VIETNAMESE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: UK/VIETNAM
MOU.
1.
WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON FIRST TUR:
(A) FIRST PARAGRAPH: WE WOULD PREFER THIS TO END AS PROPOSED IN THE TEXT IN YOUR TELNO 482, WHICH REFLECTS THE LANGUAGE OF THE 12 OCTOBER PRESS STATEMENT AND AVOIDS THE WORD QUOTE VOLUNTARY UNQUOTE. BUT WE COULD LIVE WITH THE VIETNAMESE VERSION.
(B) PARA 1(B): WE REGRET THE LOSS OF THE FIRST SENTENCE OF OUR PROPOSED TEXT FOR THIS POINT (IE DELETION OF REFERENCE TO VIETNAMESE ACCEPTANCE OF ALL WHO ASK TO RETURN). BUT WE ALWAYS SAW THIS AS SOMETHING WHICH WE NEED NOT PRESS FOR IF WE COULD ACHIEVE CONCESSIONS ELSEWHERE (PARA 1(B) OF OUR TELNO 296 OF 1988 TO YOU). THIS REMAINS OUR POSITION.
(C) PARA 1(B): WE ARE MORE CONCERNED AT THE CHANGE FROM NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS BEING ACCEPTED FOR REPATRIATION, TO BEING ACCEPTED FOR INTERVIEW. WE AGREE THAT
YOU SHOULD REJECT THIS, POINTING TO THE ORIGINAL
DRAFT MOU PROVIDED BY THE VIETNAMESE WHICH REFERRED TO ACCEPTANCE FOR REPATRIATION (YOUR TELNO 456 OF 1988).
(D) PARA 2(D): WE ARE DISMAYED AT THE NEW VIETNAMESE PROPOSAL TO DELAY THE PROCESS BY A FURTHER MONTH. DURING THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS THE VIETNAMESE SAID THAT OFFICIALS VISITING HONG KONG WOULD ISSUE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO THOSE THEY INTERVIEWED
(PARA 11 OF FCO TELNO 2670 TO HONG KONG). THE ORIGINAL DRAFT MOU PROVIDED BY THE VIETNAMESE CONFIRMED THIS. YOU SHOULD REJECT THIS NEW PROPOSAL, LAYING EMPHASIS ON THE NEED FOR THE EARLY RETURN OF THE FIRST BATCH FROM HONG KONG.
2. SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM HONG KONG YOU SHOULD REVERT TO THE VIETNAMESE ON THE ABOVE LINES. YOU SHOULD ALSO PRESS FOR THE VIETNAMESE TO LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY PROPOSE TO VISIT HONG KONG, AND WHO THEY WILL SEND. WE NEED TO MAKE EARLY PROGRESS ON PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FIRST RETURNS.
3. YOUR TELNO 18: WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS ACCOUNT OF YOUR MEETING WITH LE THO. WHEN YOU MEET VU KHOAN, WE WOULD BE
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