SECRET
167360 MDHIAN 1367
13
SECRET
FM HANOI
TELNO 6
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
HKB
RECEIVED IN
DESK
OF 05090OZ JANUARY 90 INDEX
243 15
"Y
24 JAN1990
타.
JA
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
18
FCO TELNOS 3 AND 4 TO HANOI
VBP REPATRIATION
LUP COPY QDIST ?
1. I CALLED ON LE THO AGAIN THIS MORNING AND SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED.
I SAID THAT I HAD REPORTED HIS REMARKS, WHICH HAD CAUSED CONCERN IN LONDON. I HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO REVERT IMMEDIATELY TO CLEAR UP ANY MISAPPREHENSION ABOUT THE TERMS USED, AND TO SAY THAT AT NO TIME HAVE THE HONG KONG OR UK GOVERNMENTS REFERRED TO MANDATORY
REPATRIATION AS FORCIBLE RETURN. WE HAD STRENUOUSLY DENIED PRESS REPORTS THAT FORCE HAD BEEN USED. I MADE THE POINT AGAIN THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE TERMS JOURNALISTS USED. I WENT ON
THAT THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN GLAD TO NOTE THAT VIETNAM
WAS NOT CLAIMING THAT THE UK HAD ACTED IN BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT: WE HAD SCRUPULOUSLY HONOURED OUR COMMITMENTS. I SAID THAT HMG STILL ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO PERSUADING UNHCR TO MONITOR NON-VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION, AND THEREFORE HOPED THAT VIETNAM WOULD PUT A FORMAL REQUEST TO THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER (FCO TELNO 03 TO HANOI). I CONCLUDED BY SAYING
THAT HMG HOPED FOR AN EARLY SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE TO OUR 29 DECEMBER PROPOSALS, AND ASKED IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO AGREE ON A DATE FOR HIM TO RECEIVE THE AMBASSADOR NEXT WEEK FOR DISCUSSIONS.
2. THO AVOIDED DEFINITE REPLIES. HE DID NOT CHALLENGE OUR
CATEGORICAL DENIAL THAT THE HONG KONG OR UK AUTHORITIES HAD REFERRED TO FORCIBLE RETURN. HE STRESSED THAT THE VIETNAMESE SIDE HAD GOODWILL AND WAS SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO SETTLE PROBLEMS. HE AGREED THAT ADVANCE PUBLICITY WAS UNDESIRABLE, BUT WONDERED HOW IT COULD BE PREVENTED. HE TOOK NOTE OF OUR REAFFIRMATION OF COMMITMENT TO THE AGREEMENT. THE PROPOSAL FOR A VIETNAMESE APPROACH TO THE NEW UNHCR NEEDED FURTHER DISCUSSION. HE WAS WAITING FOR INSTRUCTIONS FROM HIGHER AUTHORITY REGARDING REOPENING DISCUSSION WITH THE AMBASSADOR. MATTERS WOULD NEED DELICATE HANDLING IN VIEW OF THE IMMINENCE OF RESUMED SC3. HE COULD NOT FORECAST WHEN THE VIETNAMESE MIGHT BE READY TO
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