TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 102

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TELNO 373 OF 15 JUNE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

CHANGE OF POLICY

1. YESTERDAY AFTERNOON I CALLED ON HOANG QUOC TIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT. I SPOKE ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS AND

LEFT COPY OF SPEAKING NOTE. TIN SPOKE ALONG SAME LINES AS VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND HEAD OF EUROPE II.

2. SPECIFICALLY IN THANKED ME FOR BREIFING AND SAID THAT HIGHER AUTHORITIES WOULD CONSIDER THE NEW POLICY. HE SAID THAT THERE WERE BOUND TO BE DIFFICULTIES AND IN RESPONDING TO

HONG KONG'S NEW POLICY VIETNAM WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER

CONSEQUENCES FOR SITUATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF FIRST

A SYLUM. HE STRESSED THAT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WISH TO STOP

ILLEGAL DEPARTURES AND HAD TAKEN STEPS WITH LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES TO REDUCE FLOW. HE ADDED THAT VIETNAM WISHED TO SPEED UP ODP BUT MADE THE INEVITABLE DIG AT THE TARDINESS OF THE USA. HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CASES OF VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION AND THAT SUCH CASES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE JUDGED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL MERITS.

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