CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO DESKBY 25090OZ FCO
TELNO 127
OF 25061OZ FEBRUARY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
HKA C20/14
Pa
AND TO DESKBY 25O8OOZ HOKNG KONG
من
ime
2612
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, UKREP BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON
MIPT: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: ORP II
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF LETTER ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG FROM NIEN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
107022
MDHIAN 4308
I AM GLAD TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE FIRST DIRECT EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, AND I THINK THAT SUCH AN EXCHANGE WOULD BE FOLLOWED UP AND MAINTAINED IN THE FUTURE TO FURTHER OUR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.
AS YOU REFERRED TO IN YOUR LETTER, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, RELATIONS OF TRADE, INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING VERY VIGOROUSLY. HONG KONG NOW RANKS FIRST AMONG THE COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES INVESTING INTO VIETNAM IN BOTH THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND AREAS OF INVESTMENT. THIS, IN TURN, WOULD CREATE FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR DEVELOPING OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS IN MANY FIELDS.
WE HIGHLY APPRECIATE THE CURRENT COOPERATION BETWEEN VIETNAM, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG IN THE SOLUTION OF VIETNAMESE ILLEGALLY LEAVING FOR HONG KONG. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, VIETNAM HAS DONE ITS BEST TO RECEIVE VOLUNTARY RETURNEES, THE NUMBERS OF WHICH EXCEEDED THE MONTHLY FIGURE AGREED UPON BY THE TWO SIDES. IT IS EVEN MORE ENCOURAGING THE NUMBER OF THESE DEPARTURES HAS BEEN REDUCED DRASTICALLY, AT TIMES THE MONTHLY FIGURES AMOUNT TO ONLY SEVERAL PERSONS THANKS TO THE EFFORTS MADE BY THE TWO SIDES AND THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED. I AM SURE THAT THIS COOPERATION WILL BE FURTHER MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH HONG KONG AND VIETNAM. VIETNAM IS PREPARED TO RECEIVE THOSE WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG BEFORE OCTOBER 29, 1991 PROVIDED THAT NO THIRD COUNTRIES WOULD GRANT THEM ASYLUM STATUS, ON THE BASIS OF RESPECT FOR THEIR DIGNITY, IN AN ORDERLY AND SAFE MANNER AND WITH APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCES FROM THE SPECIALIZED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO HELP THEM
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