53,
CONFIDENTIAL
051757
MDHIAN 3911
CONFIDENTIAL
FM MADRID
TO
IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 450
OF 091805Z MAY 89
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIŞ GENEVA, PEKING, HANOI
YOUR TELNO 860 TO WASHINGTON: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG
1.
I CALLED ON THE MFA SECRETARY- GENERAL (PUS EQUIVALENT) DRAWING IN FULL ON THE POINTS IN PARAGRAPH 6 OF YOUR TUR AND LEAVING HIM A
COPY OF MY SPEAKING NOTES.
2.
PERPINA-ROBERT SAID THAT THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIETNAMESE DECISION TO RECOGNISE THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC MIGRANTS WAS A HELPFUL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT PROGRESS SINCE THE JANUARY MEETING IN KUALA LUMPUR HAD BEEN FAR TOO SLOW. HE AGREED THAT EVERYTHING HINGED ON THE ICIR NEXT MONTH, WHEN IT WAS TO BE HOPED THAT THE VIETNAMESE COULD BE PERSUADED TO IMPLEMENT THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR RECOGNITION OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ECONOMIC MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES BY COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO ACCEPTING BACK THE FORMER. THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT WOULD STUDY CAREFULLY THE POINTS I HAD MADE. A MUCH GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY WOULD HAVE TO BE SHOWN AT NEXT MONTH'S
CONFERENCE.
GORDON LENNOX
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
96
DISTRIBUTION
102
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
LEGAL ADVISERS
PUSD
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL