RESTRICTED
нко 24319
43
011456
MDHOAN 6696
JPY
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
ΤΟ IMMEDIATE HAΑΝΟΙ
TELNO 76
OF 071725Z MARCH 89
Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR
KUALA LUMPUR PLEASE PASS TO COLVIN, VISITING
KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 148:VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: REPATRIATION
92
1. IN AN ARTICLE IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES OF 6 MARCH, JOHN ELLIOTT, WRITING FROM HANOI, CLAIMED THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT MAY BE CONSIDERING AGREEING THAT BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT ILLEGALLY CAN BE FORCIBLY REPATRIATED.
2. HE QUOTES A QUOTE SENIOR INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL UNQUOTE NGUYEN CAN AS THE SOURCE OF REMARKS IMPLYING THAT VIETNAM SHOULD ACCEPT BACK THOSE FORCIBLY REPATRIATED, ALTHOUGH CAN APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAREFUL TO STRESS THAT THIS WAS HIS PERSONAL VIEW AND HAD YET TO BE DISCUSSED WITH QUOTE HIS LEADERS UNQUOTE.
3. GRATEFUL FOR ANY LIGHT YOU CAN SHED ON THIS SUGGESTION THAT SOME ELEMENTS OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT MIGHT NOW BE CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCEPTING BACK QUOTE FORCIBLY REPATRIATED UNQUOTE BOAT PEOPLE.WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT SIGNIFICANCE TO ATTACH TO CAN'S REMARKS IIN THE LIGHT OF VU KHOAN'S SUBSEQUENT STATEMENT AT THE PREPCON.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR SLATER
PAGE
1
RESTRICTED