TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 138

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CONFIDENTIAL

Q DIST ?

033410

MDLIAN 6334

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HANOI

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 124

OF 300235Z MARCH 88

ни) 243/8

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK

VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:

VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION

1. AT A LUNCH GIVEN YESTERDAY BY THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR FOR SYMINGTON FROM CANBERRA, I SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME PUSHING TRAN QUANG CO (VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS) ON

THE GENERAL ISSUE OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AND ON THE FIVE CASES (MY TELNO 10 TO HONG KONG) IN PARTICULAR.

HKC 231/38)

2. CO MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE WOULD BE LITTLE

PROGRESS ON THEPGENERAL QUESTION OF REPATRIATION UNTIL THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN VIETNAM HAD IMPROVED AND

GAVE LITTLE HOPE THAT EVEN IN INDIVIDUAL CASES THERE COULD BE SPEEDY DECISIONS GIVEN THE NEED TO CONSULT LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND FAMILIES ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEPARTURE. WITH STALWART SUPPORT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR I EMPHASISED TO CO THAT THE VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION ISSUE WAS IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE FIVE CASES WE AND THE UNHCR HAD RECENTLY PUT TO THE MFA WERE IN A REAL SENSE TEST CASES. IF VIETNAM REFUSED TO TAKE THESE PEOPLE BACK, THEIR DECLARED POLICY OF CASE BY CASE REPATRIATION WOULD TOTALLY LACK CREDIBILITY: THIS WOULD BE

UNWISE. HE SEEMED TO HOIST THE POINT ON BOARD.

3. CO REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE MFA WERE ONLY ONE AMONG A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS AND BODIES CONCERNED WITH THE ISSUE. THE FINAL DECISION ON CASES WAS MADE BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. CLEARLY MUCH WEIGHT WAS GIVEN TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE RELEVANT LOCAL PEOPLES COMMITTEE I SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD THEREFORE CALL ON THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES CONCERNED WITH THE FIVE CASES. CO RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT I SHOULD MAKE THIS PROPOSLAL TO THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT.

·

I SHALL DO SO, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT MUCH HOPE THAT AGREEMENT WILL BE FORTHCOMING.

4. FIRST ASY LUM