RESTRICTED
2
176225
MDLIAN 0560
181/16
RECEIVED
RESTRICTED
FM HANOI
23 J. 1993
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
DESK Or...
TELNO 63
INDEX
OF 2207O9Z JUNE 93
AND TO ROUTINE FCO
REGISTRY PA Aaron Taken
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
Men
مل
Asemres
YOUR TELNO 97 (NOT TO FCO) ICAO SPECIAL WORKING GROUP MEETING IN
BANGKOK 15 18 JUNE
1.
K
I AGREE THAT THE LINE BEING TAKEN BY HONG KONG (ALSO REPRESENTING THE UK) AT THE WORKING GROUP MEETING SEEMS SENSIBLE AND SHOULD BE UNPROVOCATIVE TO THE VIETNAMESE IN THAT IT CONCEDES THE VIETNAMESE CLAIM TO EVENTUAL CONTROL OF THE FORMER SAIGON FIR ONCE THE VIETNAMESE HAVE THE NECESSARY TECHNICAL CAPABILITY. VIETNAMESE WILL OF COURSE ARGUE THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THIS CAPABILITY.
THE
2. WHAT WILL HOWEVER PROVOKE THE VIETNAMESE IS ANY PRESENTATIONAL SLANT WHICH AGAIN GIVES THEM THE FEELING THAT HONG KONG (AND THE UK) ARE OPPOSING VIETNAMESE ASPIRATIONS INSPITE OF THE APPARENTLY SATISFACTORY POSITION REACHED BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM AT THE TIME OF THE VISIT BY NIEN, VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THIS WAS WHAT THE VIETNAMESE THINK HAPPENED DURING THE REGIONAL ICAO MEETING RECENTLY. IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE IF THE ISSUE SURFACES AGAIN DURING THE FORTHCOMING VISIT OF THE VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER
TO THE UK.
WILLIAMS
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
26
HKD
SEAD
AMD
SIR J COLES
DISTRIBUTION
26
26
MR CROWE
MR MASEFIELD
MR HUM
MR BONE
PAGE 1 RESTRICTED