TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 169

CONFIDENTIAL

165124

MDLIAN 5715

47

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

то PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 0972

OF 08043OZ MARCH 88

8

HUD 243/8

ни)

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, KUALA INFO ROUTINE SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, BANGKOK, MANILA, HANOI INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA

LUMPUR

Bu

OUR TELNO 808 : VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

-

CONTACTS WITH ASEAN

FURTHER TO TUR, INVITATION NOW RECEIVED FROM MALAYSIA, ARRANGEMENTS BEING MADE FOR ROUND OF VISITS COMMENCING IN BANGKOK ON EITHER 17 MARCH OR 21 MARCH.

2. WITH REFERENCE TO MANILA'S TELNO 79 SECRETARY FOR SECURITY BARNES SAW SEVERINO TODAY (7/3). SEVERINO SAID THAT THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATED ACTIVELY IN ASEAN DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC AND REFERRED TO THE MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ISSUED IN JUNE 1987. HE ADDED THAT A FURTHER MEETING AT SENIOR OFFICIAL LEVEL WAS SCHEDULED FOR 28 APRIL (IN PREPARATION FOR THE ASEAN/EC MINISTERIAL MEETING ON 2/3 MAY) AND HE WOULD BE PREPARED TO RAISE THE ISSUE THERE. HE ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN OUR HANDLING OF THE ECVII ISSUE AND INFLUX LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE PHILIPPINES HAD A FEW (ABOUT 140) SUCH CASES.

3.

WE SAID THAT WE FELT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES LIKE THIS ON

WHICH DISCUSSIONS AT THE WORKING LEVEL MIGHT PROVE USEFUL AND IT APPEARED TIMELY FOR PLACES OF FIRST ASYLUM TO SHARE EXPERIENCES AND TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE PROBLEM FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. WE ASKED WHETHER SEVERINO FELT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THE PROPOSED INITIAL

WORKING LEVEL DISCUSSIONS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE ASEAN SENIOR

OFFICIALS' MEETING IN APRIL. WE EXPLAINED THAT PLANS WERE ALREADY IN HAND FOR DISCUSSIONS IN OTHER ASEAN CAPITALS IN LATE MARCH.

4.

SEVERINO SAID THAT HE WOULD REVERT TO MANILA ON THIS. HE THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER AFTER MRS AQUINO'S VISIT TO HK IN APRIL

(16/17 APRIL), BUT DID NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DISCUSSIONS

IN MANILA EARLIER.

WILSON

YYYY

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