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TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE TERMS OF APPROACH, IN PARTICULAR
TO AVOID THE DANGER OF THE VIETNAMESE DELIBERATELY USING IT TO
CREATE PUBLIC DIFFICULTIES FOR US.
6. WE ENVISAGE THAT HMA HANOI SHOULD REFER TO OUR PREVIOUS
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE ON (VOLUNTARY) REPATRIATION.
HE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT WHILE IN THE PAST HONG KONG HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO COPE WITH THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE OUTFLOW FROM
VIETNAM, THE SITUATION HAS NOW BECOME UNMANAGEABLE, AND WE ARE
THEREFORE HAVING TO CONTEMPLATE RETURNING BOAT PEOPLE TO VIETNAM
ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG, JUST AS WE RETURN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO
CHINA. HE WOULD ASK WHETHER THE VIETNAMESE WOULD BE PREPARED TO
COOPERATE BY ACCEPTING THOSE RETURNED, AND TO PROVIDE ANY
ASSURANCES AS TO THE TREATMENT TO BE ACCORDED THEM AFTER RETURN.
HE WOULD NOT ACTUALLY SPECIFY THAT THIS REPATRIATION WOULD BE
INVOLUNTARY, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE CLEAR INDICATION.
7. IF PUBLICITY DID RESULT WE SHOULD SAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO
QUESTION OF REPATRIATION UNLESS CREDIBLE AND SATISFACTORY
ASSURANCES ARE RECEIVED AS TO THE TREATMENT OF THOSE CONCERNED
BUT THAT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION IN THE CAMPS IN HONG
KONG OBLIGES US TO EXPLORE EVERY AVENUE FOR REDUCING THE PROBLEM.
WE SHOULD PRESENT OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE AS A
CONTINUATION OF CONTACTS BOTH WE AND UNHCR HAVE HAD WITH THEM
BEFORE ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF REPATRIATION.
8. WE DO NOT OF COURSE KNOW HOW MINISTERS WILL REACT TO THESE
PROPOSALS, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THE SUBJECT WITH YOU
NEXT WEEK.
HOWE
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