TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 82

RESTRICTED

FM BANGKOK

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 214

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243

18

Да

80

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MDLIAN 9716

OF 140751Z APRIL 88

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, HANOI, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA

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KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 3 TO OTTAWA: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

SUMMARY

1

·

ASEAN WORKING GROUP ON REFUGEES HAS BEEN ASKED TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ASEAN DEMARCHE TO VIETNAM. THE PROPOSAL WILL BE CONSIDERED BY ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS IN JULY.

DETAIL

2.

THE THAI MFA CONFIRMED THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ASEAN APPROACH TO THE VIETNAMESE WAS DISCUSSED AT THE SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING IN BANGKOK LAST WEEK. BUT NO CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED. IT WAS AGREED TO REFER THE IDEA TO THE ASEAN WORKING GROUP ON REFUGEES (SET UP AFTER THE MANILA SUMMIT). THE WORKING GROUP WILL BE ASKED TO PREPARE THE GROUND PRIOR TO CONSIDERATION AT THE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN JULY. NO INITIATIVE

BE TAKEN BEFORE THAT.

COMMENT

3.

WOULD

THE THAI POLICY OF DETERRING NEW ARRIVALS IN THE GULF OF THAILAND HAS SUCCEEDED IN VIRTUALLY STOPPING THE FLOW AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING. SUWIT SUTHANUKUL, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL CONFIRMED AT THE WEEKEND THAT THE POLICY WILL REMAIN IN FORCE AS LONG AS IS NECESSARY. THE THAIS A CKNOWLEDGE HOWEVER THAT THEIR ACTION IS RESULTING IN DIVERSION TO MALAYSIA AND POSSIBLY INDONESIA. THIS HAS STIMULATED INTEREST IN A COMMON ASEAN STANCE BUT THE THAIS ARE APPROACHING THIS

CAUTIOUSLY.

ΤΟΝΚΙΝ

YYYY