SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2215
OF 08093OZ JUNE 88
HLD 243/8
SECRET
250
114245
MDLIAN 3489
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MY TELNO 2181: OPERATION WATCHMAN: SPEAKING NOTES
1. MF FIVE MIFTS GIVE SUGGESTED LINES TO TAKE FOR THE FOLLOWING
DIFFERENT AUDIENCES:
A.
NON-ICG RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES:
B. ASEAN COUNTRIES:
C.
D.
VIETNAM CAND USSR ?>
CHINA
E. THE REST
NONE OF THESE NEEDS AS FULL A TREATMENT AS THE SPEAKING NOTE
FOR USE WITH THE ICG COUNTRIES GIVEN IN YOUR TELNO 960 TO WASHINGTON. FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, IN EACH CASE THE LAYOUT FOLLOWS
THE PATTERN:
(I)
(II)
INTRODUCTORY POINTS:
DESCRIPTION OF NEW POLICY:
(III) REQUESTS
2.
YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT A FORMULATION WHICH AT LEAST IMPLIES A
DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE SCREENED OUT AND THOSE SCREENED IN (PARA 3 OF YOUR TELNO 1451) ARE UNDERSTOOD. HOWEVER WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO SEND AN EQUIVOCAL MESSAGE TO VIETNAM COR INDEED TO CHINA YOUR TELNO 2109). AN ALTERNATIVE FORMULATION, WHICH IS FACTUALLY CORRECT, IS (QUOTE) ALL VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WILL BE TREATED ON ARRIVAL AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (UNQUOTE). THIS
MESSAGE IS DESIGNED TO DETER ALL BUT THE TRULY PERSECUTED FROM HEADING FOR HONG KONG, WHERE IT WILL ANYWAY BE CLEAR THAT THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF HUMANE TREATMENT THAN AYWHERE ELSE
IN THE REGION.
WILSON
YYYY
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