CONFIDENTIAL
57
116521
MDHIAN 2605
TOP a b.or
OPY ?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 030
OF 090535Z JUNE 88
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
HKD 243/5.
DURING MY CALL ON VICE MINISTER TRAN QUANG CO THIS MORNING
I WENT OVER THE WHOLE REFUGEE QUESTION AGAIN WITH PARTICULAR
REFERENCE TO HONG KONG. FIRSTLY THAT THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT HAD MADE A SERIOUS EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTION AND
HAD
CONCU/ //-// HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF
REDUCING THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL EMIGRANTS WOULD BE TO SPEED UP THE
ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAMME. THEY HAD ACCORDNGLY ISSUED
INSTRUCTIONS TO PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO REMOVE
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF THE ODP.
-
2. SECONDLY, CO SAID THAT THEY HAD CONSIDERED THE UNHCR'S IDEA FOR ASSISTING WITH THE RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES IN VIETNAM
BUT THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS VERY DIFFICULT!! HE WOULD NOT BE DRAWN BUT I ASSUME THIS MEANS THAT FOR THE TIME BEING THE
IDEA IS NOT A STARTER.
❤
3. AS THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD REFERRED TO THE SUBJECT DURING
HIS MEETING WITH THACH ON 7 JUNE (FCO TELNO 138 TO HANOI) I TOLD CO THAAT THOUGHT WAS BEING GIVEN TO SCREENING REFUGEES WITH
THE INTENTION OF RETURNING THE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS TO VIETNAM.
HE EXPRESSED DOUBT THAT A WORKABLE SYSTEM OF SCREENING COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND POINTED OUT THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE
WHO LITERALLY RISKED THEIR LIVES TO GET AWAY. HE THOUGHT THAT
THEY WOULD FIND WAYS THROUGH THE SCREEN.
DAVIES
YYYY
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.