CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 801
OF 071915Z APRIL 89
CONFIDENTIAL
НКО 243/9
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL HKD
_128
139
PAU
35
YOUR TELNOS 1075-1077 AND 1115
TCH GUP Q DIST ?
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
(1136
132357 MDHOAN 8808
1.
WE ARE GIVING VERY SERIOUS THOUGHT TO THE ISSUES RAISED IN YOUR RECENT TELEGRAMS ABOUT VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. WE ARE ACUTELY CONSCIOUS OF THE PROSPECT OF A MAJOR NEW INFLUX THIS SUMMER: OF THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT THIS WOULD ENTAIL FOR YOU CAND US): AND OF THE PRESENTATIONAL PROBLEMS THAT WE WOULD FACE HERE. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS REGISTERED HIS OWN STRONG CONCERN ABOUT THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
2.
AS
WE ARE SUBMITTING TO MINISTERS ON ALL THESE MATTERS AND IN PARTICULAR ON THE CRUCIAL QUESTION OF MANDATORY REPATRIATION. YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THIS IS A NETTLE WHICH THEY FIND IMMENSELY DIFFICULT TO GRASP, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY SHOULD DECIDE NOW WHETHER AND IF SO HOW TO GRASP IT. I CANNOT PREDICT THE OUTCOME BUT I WILL ENSURE THAT THE POINTS IN YOUR RECENT TELEGRAMS ARE FULLY TAKEN ON BOARD.
3. ONCE WE ARE CLEARER ABOUT MINISTERS' THINKING ON THE PROSPECT OF EVENTUAL MANDATORY REPATRIATION, IT SHOULD BE EASIER TO DETERMINE TACTICS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. BUT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE DECISIONS ON THIS BEFORE THE BANGKOK MEETING ON 11 APRIL. OUR SUGGESTED LINE TO TAKE FOR THAT MEETING CON WHICH WE ARE TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY) IS ABOUT AS FAR AS WE CAN GO AT PRESENT WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF MINISTERIALLY AGREED POLICY. I HOPE YOU CAN AGREE THAT IT IS BROADLY ADEQUATE FOR THE TIME BEING.
HOWE
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