TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 20

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5. THE CONSULTATION PROCESS SHOULD BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF

THIS YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT, AND THE DRAFT WOULD THEN

BE PUT TO THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE. A SECOND DRAFT WOULD THEN

BE PRODUCED FOR FURTHER CONSULTATION. THE PROCESS WOULD BE

COMPLETE IN 1990.

6. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT HE WAS VERY GLAD OF THE

BREADTH OF CONSULTATION. THE FAITHFUL TRANSLATION OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION INTO THE BASIC LAW WAS VITAL. WE WERE CONCERNED IN

PARTICULAR ABOUT THE SHAPE OF THE SARG AND THE TRANSITION. THE

TWO PRINCIPLES OF RETURN OF SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA AND MAXIMUM

CONTINUITY WERE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE. QIAN SAID THAT HE WAS GLAD

THAT WE AGREED WITH THE TWO PRINCIPLES. IF THEY COULD BE MET

EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD FALL INTO PLACE. SPECIFIC POINTS COULD BE

WORKED OUT IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

7. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT VIETNAM CONTINUED TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. QIAN, AS VIRTUALLY THE ARCHITECT OF THE THREE OBSTACLES, WOULD UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN MOST. THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT OF TROOP WITHDRAWALS WAS WELCOME. BUT WE FACED A

MAJOR AND INCREASING PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED MIGRATION

OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE TO HONG KONG. HE DESCRIBED THE RECENT SITUATION. THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAD VIRTUALLY CLOSED THEIR DOORS.

WE HAD CONCLUDED THAT THERE HAD TO BE A CHANGE OF

POLICY. HE DESCRIBED OUR INTENTIONS ON SCREENING. THE MAJORITY

OF 'REFUGEES' WOULD HAVE TO BE TOLD THAT THEIR FUTURE LAY IN VIETNAM. HE WOULD BE SEEING CO THACH. THE CHINESE HAD A CLEAR

INTEREST IN THE PROBLEM. WE HAD DISCOVERED THAT MANY OF THE BOAT PEOPLE WERE RECEIVING ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD FUEL AND EVEN

NEW ENGINES IN SOUTH CHINA ON THEIR WAY TO HONG KONG. WE KNEW THIS WAS NOT OFFICIALLY SPONSORED, BUT ANYTHING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD DO TO DISCOURAGE THIS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. 8. QIAN AGREED THAT THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WERE A REAL HEADACHE. HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE QUESTION OF ASSISTANCE IN

SOUTH CHINA AND SEE WHAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD DO TO

HELP. HE DID NOT THINK THAT CHINA SHOULD ENCOURAGE REFUGEES TO

GO TO HONG KONG. HE RECALLED THE ASSISTANCE CHINA HAD GIVEN

OVER VIETNAMESE TRAVELLING ILLEGALLY TO HONG KONG AFTER BEING RESETTLED IN CHINA THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT WE HAD

BEEN GRATEFUL FOR THIS. QIAN SAID THAT CHINA AGREED THAT REPATRIATION TO VIETNAM WAS RIGHT.

•

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MORE GENERALLY CHINA TENDED TO DOUBT THE SINCERITY OF THE

VIETNAMESE ANNOUNCEMENT ON WITHDRAWAL. VIETNAM HAD ALSO

ANNOUNCED THAT THE TROOPS REMAINING WOULD BE PUT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PUPPET REGIME. THIS WAS RIDICULOUS, AND INDICATED AN INTENTION TO HANG ON. THE 'COCKTAIL PARTY' WOULD

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