TNAG-1544-FCO40-2108-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-Intergovernmental-Consultativ-1987 — Page 60

both covered

(more as less directly!

cure of

atow web

9/0

ނ

сел

CODE 18-77

AWO Ltd. 7/84

HKK 943/13

10 RAAMUCT,186

RESTRICTEO

KEGISTRY

IPA

Action Taken

uiri

243)

Reference........

А

Aw Bat

manzuit Mandelen Group A

CALL BY MINISTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION

1.

On 7 October, Mr Jeffrey Benson, Minister of the Australian High Commission, called.

Indo-China

2. Mr Benson's main purpose was to recount a meeting in New York between Mr Hayden and Vo Dong Giang, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. Giang had repeatedly emphasised the determination to withdraw Vietnamese forces from Cambodia by 1990. The activities of the resistance at present levels would not prevent this withdrawal; the PRK could handle this. Even the increased supply of arms to the coalition, including heavy artillery to the Khmer Rouge, would not require a revision of this timetable. Only a "major change" in the situation would cause that. Giang stressed that Vietnam was serious in wanting better relations with China and with ASEAN.

3. Mr Hayden had expressed his opinion that the PRK would not be able to fend for itself. He pointed also to the need to involve the Khmer Rouge (albeit without Pol Pot and his henchmen) in any settlement. Giang had restated in reply that there was only one condition for a settlement: severence of the Khmer Rouge from the highest echelon of leaders associated with Pol Pot. Once this condition was met, Vietnam would expect the PRK to negotiate with the Khmer Rouge even before any proposed disarmament.

Refugees

4.

You raised with Mr Benson our concerns on refugee issues and mentioned our interest in discussions aimed at finding a way forward. Mr Benson was clearly briefed on our wish to join the "Honolulu group" and hinted that there was considerable resistance to this idea in Canberra, if not in the Foreign Ministry then at least in the Immigration Service. The objection was that Britain's record on resettlement was not adequate to qualify it for membership of the Group. Mr Benson advised that we stress how good our record on resettlement of Vietnamese in fact was and pointed also to the fact that Japan is a member of the Group despite its far worse record on resettlement.

Indonesia/East Timor

5. Mr Benson raised the proposal that a joint mission of Australian and British MPS were seeking permission to visit East Timor. Mr Setterfield explained that Lord Avebury was involved in this.

RC2ACW

RESTRICTED

/6.

7

Page 60Page 61