TNAG-1793-FCO40-2553-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 41

369

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1629

OF 221545Z JUNE 88

RESTRICTED

НК 243/8

TOP COPY Q DIST 7

AND TO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, HANOI

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, UKMIS GENEVA

364

164346 MDLOAN 3366

YOUR TELNO 2377 (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: PUBLICITY

1. WE OURSELVES HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE BBC EXTERNAL

SERVICE TO ENCOURAGE FULL COVERAGE OF THE NEW POLICY IN ORDER TO

MAXIMISE ITS IMPACT IN VIETNAM. THE RESULTS WERE QUITE GOOD:

THE BBC PUT OUT A NUMBER OF REPORTS AROUND THE TIME OF THE

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NEW POLICY WHICH EMPHASISED THE DETERRENT ASPECTS OF THE NEW MEASURES. WE HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE BB C

THE SCOPE FOR FOLLOW UP REPORTS. THEY HAVE EXPLAINED, HOWEVER, THERE MUST BE FRESH AND NEWSWORTHY ANGLES ON THE STORY IN ORDER

TO JUSTIFY THIS. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NONE.

2.

WE IMAGINE THAT SIMILAR CONSIDERATIONS APPLY IN THE CASES

OF VOA AND RADIO AUSTRALIA. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WASHINGTON AND CANBERRA COULD ESTABLISH WHAT COVERAGE THERE HAS BEEN BY VOA

AND RADIO AUSTRALIA RESPECTIVELY AND IF POSSIBLE OBTAIN

TRANSCRIPTS OF THE REPORTS.

3.

WE SHOULD ALSO BE ESTABLISHING WHAT, IF ANY, BROADCASTS THE VIETNAMESE HAVE PUT OUT ABOUT THE NEW POLICY. FROM OUR SOURCES

HERE (BBC MONITORING REPORTS) THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN NONE.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF HANOI COULD TRY TO CONFIRM THE

POSITION AND TAKE A SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND THE VIETNAMESE

THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO PLAY THEIR PART IN PUBLICISING THE NEW

MEASURES LOCALLY. IF AS THEY CLAIM THEY ARE DISCOURAGING

DEPARTURES THIS WOULD BE A LOGICAL STEP TO TAKE.

HOWE

ILLEGAL

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