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160054 MDHOAN 9251
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FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HANOI TELNO 156
OF 17123OZ APRIL 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
53
HONG KONG TELNO 1202: VIETNAMESE
BOAT PEOPLE: VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION
1.
WE AGREE THAT WE NEED TO USE THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAMME TO MAXIMUM EFFECT IN ENCOURAGING MORE VOLUNTEERS TO COME FORWARD. GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF YOU WOULD TAKE ACTION WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES AS PROPOSED IN TUR.
2.
ANOTHER POSSIBLE WAY OF STIMULATING THE FLOW OF VOLUNTARY RETURNS EMERGED FROM LORD GLENARTHUR'S CALL ON THREE RETURNEES IN HANOI ON 14 APRIL. WE SPECIFICALLY ASKED ONE WHETHER HE WOULD BE PREPARED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE WORD IN THE CAMPS THAT IT WAS PERFECTLY SAFE TO GO BACK AND THERE WAS LITTLE POINT IN REMAINING IN INDEFINITE DETENTION IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER HONG KONG WOULD SEE MERIT IN PURSUING THE IDEA OF ARRANGING FOR A GROUP OF REFUGEES TO BE INVITED BACK TO HONG KONG FOR THIS PURPOSE.
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
97
DISTRIBUTION
103
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
ECD (E)
NEWS D
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MRS CHALKER PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
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