CONFIDENTIAL
HULD 245/5
88
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1321
OF 070915Z APRIL 88
INFO PRIORITY HANOI
INFO
GOL
a DIST ? hig
ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
052523
MDLIAN 7922
-18
YOUR TELNO 857: HANOI TELNO 132:
@
IETNAMESE REFUGEES
TUG BOAT CREW
BETWEEN THE
CREW MEMBERS.
NO DOUBT
WE ARE DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE SUGGESTION OF A LINKAGE RETURN OF THE BOAT AND THE REPATRIATION OF THE SEVEN WE COULD CERTAINLY NOT (NOT) BE PREPARED TO MEET THE CONSIDERABLE COST OF RETURNING THE BOAT TO VIETNAM. TO CONSIDER ANY POSSIBLE CHINESE MISUNDERSTANDING OF SUCH A DEAL
OVER A NAVAL CRAFT.
ALSO WE NEED
2. ON THE OTHER HAND WE MIGHT BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER COMING TO SOME ARRANGEMENT IF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES WERE BEING DIFFICULT ABOUT THE RETURN OF THE SEVEN CREWMEN AND EXPRESSED SUFFICIENT
INTEREST IN THE RETURN OF THE BOAT.
3. WE PROPOSE THEREFORE TO ASK UNHCR TO START BY BROACHING WITH THE VIETNAMESE THE QUESTION OF THE RETURN OF THE SEVEN CREW MEMBERS ON ITS OWN AND TO BE RECEPTIVE, BUT NON-COMMITTAL, TO ANY QUERIES ABOUT THE TUG-BOAT. IF THE ISSUE IS RAISED, THEY WOULD RESPOND BY CONFIRMING THAT THE TUG-BOAT IS IN HONG KONG AND, THOUGH UNSEAWORTY, IS NOT (NOT) BEYOND REPAIR ANY REQUEST FOR THE RETURN OF THE BOAT WOULD THEN BE RELAYED BACK TO US FOR FOLLOW-UP SEPARATELY, PRESUMABLY THROUGH THE GOOD OFFICES OF HANOI.
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WILSON
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ADDITIONAL
DISTRIBUTION
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