CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 34
OF 061025Z JANUARY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI
CONFIDENTIAL
HKA
020114
lu
ime.
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, UKREP BRUSSELS
3
152755
MDHIAN 8050
HANOI TELNOS 3 AND 6: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS: ORP II
1. THE DIFFICULTIES NOW RAISED BY THE VIETNAMESE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTING. IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING WITH VOLUNTARY RETURN, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONFIRM SOON THAT THE DETAILS OF ORP II FOR PRE-29 OCTOBER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN FINALISED. OTHERWISE THE MESSAGE WILL BEGIN TO FILTER THROUGH IN THE CAMPS THAT WE HAVE NO ACTUAL MEANS OF RETURNING NON-VOLUNTEERS.
2. THERE IS REGRETTABLY NO/NO PROSPECT OF HONG KONG BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE DIRECTLY TO THE COST OF INTEGRATING RETURNEES IN VIETNAM. ANY SORT OF GRANT PER RETURNEE ON A CONTINUING BASIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SELL HERE. LEGCO AND THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT/NOT ACCEPT IT. THE MOST WE THINK WE COULD OFFER WOULD BE THAT, ONCE ORP II HAD BEEN UP AND RUNNING PROPERLY FOR SOME TIME, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER SOME SORT OF ONE-OFF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO EXPANDING RECEPTION FACILITIES IN VIETNAM. WE MIGHT ALSO CONCEIVABLY BE ABLE TO OFFER A ONE-OFF GRANT TO THE EC PROGRAMME. BUT NEITHER WOULD BE EASY TO SELL CAND THE LATTER WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO SELL THAN THE FORMER). AND WE CANNOT TRY TO TAKE EITHER PROPOSAL FORWARD HERE UNTIL THE FULL ORP HAS BEEN RUNNING PROPERLY FOR SOME TIME. I SHOULD NOT/NOT WISH EITHER POSSIBILITY TO BE FLOATED WITH THE VIETNAMESE OR ANYBODY ELSE, AT THIS STAGE.
3. I THEREFORE HOPE THAT LORD CAITHNESS WILL BE PREPARED TO USE THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED BY HIS VISIT TO GET THE ARRANGEMENT FIRMLY SET ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE OF THE IMPORTANCE FOR US ALL OF PUTTING IN PLACE THE LAST VALUABLE PIECE IN THE JIGSAW OF THE 29 OCTOBER AGREEMENT. MEANWHILE WE AGREE WITH THE PRESS LINE THAT HANOI HAS PUT TO THE VIETNAMESE (PARA 6 OF FIRST TUR.)
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