TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 38

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

нка 243/8

371

161515

MDHIAN 4372

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2390

OF 220915Z JUNE 88

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY HANOI

see

TOP POP

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, JAKARTA, SINGAPORE INFO ROUTINE KUALA LUMPUR, WASHINGTON

YOUR TELNO 1604: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: DISCUSSIONS WITH

VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ·

1 I RECOGNISE THE DIFFICULTIES OF TAKING EARLY ACTION TO

DISCUSS REPATRIATION WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT. BUT IT IS

IMPORTANT, FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION WITH MINISTERS APPROVAL OF

A NEW POLICY THAT EVERY EFFORT SHOULD NOW BE MADE TO PERSUADE

THE VIETNAMESE TO ACCEPT BACK THOSE BOAT PEOPLE WHO ARE

CLASSIFIED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAUTIOUS

APPROACH OUTLINED IN TUR WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO MEET THIS NEED.

THE UNHCR ARE UNLIKELY TO PUSH THE VIETNAMESE AS HARD AS WE WOULD

WISH. THIS IS ONLY TOO EVIDENT FROM THEIR RATHER GRANIOSE

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FAIRLY PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY HAVE

SO FAR HAD WITH THE VIETNAMESE.

2. I WILL DISCUSS THIS SUBJECT WITH LORD GLENARTHUR AND HIS PARTY

WHEN THEY ARE IN HONG KONG NEXT WEEK AND WILL THEN REVERT WITH

SOME MORE CONSIDERED VIEWS ON THE WAY AHEAD.

3. MIFT (NOT TO ALL) COMMENTS ON THE POINTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE

RAISED WHEN LORD GLENARTHUR DURING HIS VISIT.

WILSON

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL

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