TNAG-1534-FCO40-2098-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation-1986 — Page 170

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4. THE FIRST WOULD BE THAT, BECAUSE OF THE ENCOURAGING RESPONSE TO THE UK INITIATIVE FROM OTHER RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES, HMG HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT A FURTHER COMMITMENT (PARA 3 OF YOUR TELNO 685). WE PLAN

TO PUT A PROPOSAL DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS END TO YOU WHEN WE CAN

BE MORE CERTAIN WHAT THE RESPONSE TO THE UK INITIATIVE HAS BEEN.

5. THE SECOND WOULD BE THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN

APPROACHED WITH THE RESULT EITHER THAT SATISFACTORY ARRANGMENETS

FOR INVOLUNTARY REPATRMATION HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED OR THAT THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT PROVED INTRANSGENT.

6. IF WE DO NOT HAVE EITHER RESPONSE, THEN OUR POSITION WILL BECOME IMPOSSIBLE. ONCE THE US, CANADA AND THE AUSTRALIANS CUT DOWN THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES THEY TAKE FROM HONG KONG, THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW SUIT. WE SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD TAKE THIS SCENARIO INTO ACCOUNT WHEN YOU RECONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE UP INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WITH THE VIETNAMESE.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

SIR. W. HARDING

MR. WILSON

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