RESTRICTED
IS
131160
MDLIAN 4546
RESTRICTED
FM HANOI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 124
OF 30010OZ MARCH 93
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON
put weith пикам
hunan nights.
FOLLOWING SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE MIFT OF OUR TELNO 124 OF 30 MARCH WHICH REGRETTABLY WAS NOT SENT
TEXT BEGINS
THE CASE OF MR CHENH A LOC WHO WAS CONSIDERED FOR REPATRIATION ON THE ORP FLIGHT IN NOVEMBER 1992 AND WHO THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT INFORMED US IS WANTED FOR A CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OFFENCE IN VIETNAM, RAISES A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT SUCH CASES THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHICH WE THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER TOGETHER IN THE SPIRIT OF OUR CLOSE ONGOING COOPERATION ON RETURN ISSUES.
WHILE AFFIRMING THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE NO WISH TO PROTECT FUGITIVES FROM JUSTICE AND WOULD NOT CONTEMPLATE INTERFERING IN VIETNAMESE JUDICIAL MATTERS WE, NEVERTHELESS, THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER TOGETHER WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL REACTION MIGHT BE IF A RETURNEE FROM HONG KONG WERE SUBSEQUENTLY EXECUTED. THIS MIGHT ALSO HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CONTINUING SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAMME TO WHICH WE ARE ALL COMMITTED.
WERE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM TO INDICATE TO US IN ADVANCE ALL CASES WHERE A PROSPECTIVE RETURNEE MIGHT BE SUSPECTED OF A CRIME WHICH MIGHT ATTRACT THE DEATH PENALTY, WE COULD THEN DISCUSS, ON AN INDIVIDUAL CASE BASIS, WAYS IN WHICH WE MIGHT RESOLVE THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
WILLIAMS
YYYY
HICD OS
RECE
0 5 APR 1993
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