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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 1822
OF 081200Z JULY 88
1 1 JUL 1988
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036727 MDHOAN 0052
INFO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, MANILA INFO IMMEDIATE JAKARTA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, UKMIS GENEVA INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA, TOKYO, HANOI, PEKING
450
461 ты
OUR TELNO 1784 AND YOUR TELNO 2595: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: VIETNAMESE PROPOSAL FOR TALKS
1. WE UNDERSTAND (TELECOM HOARE/FOOTMAN) THAT YOU HAVE COME UNDER PRESSURE TO CONFIRM A REPORT ON HANOI RADIO THAT THE OFFER OF TALKS HAS BEEN MADE, AND THAT YOU HAVE ACCORDINGLY ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS: BEGINS
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO DISCUSS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS THE PROBLEM OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. REFERRING TO A REPORT OF A VIETNAMESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BROADCAST ON HANOI RADIO, A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: QUOTE THIS INITIATIVE ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES IS MOST WELCOME. THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN HANOI HAS RECEIVED AN INVITATION FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO VISIT HANOI TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES AND WE SHALL BE RESPONDING POSITIVELY UNQUOTE.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED ON 16 JUNE A NEW POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE WHEREBY THEY ARE TREATED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNLESS AFTER SCREENING THEY ARE FOUND TO BE GENUINE REFUGEES. THOSE SCREENED OUT WILL BE DETAINED WITHOUT ACCESS TO RESETTLEMENT UNTIL THEY CAN BE REPATRIATED TO VIETNAM.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ADDED: QUOTE IT WILL BE VERY USEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES AND SEEK THEIR COOPERATION IN STOPPING THIS UNHAPPY OUTFLOW AND IN REPATRIATING THOSE WHO ARE NOT GENUINE REFUGEES UNQUOTE. ENDS
2.
IN RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS ON THE LIKELY CONTENTS OF THE TALKS, YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO AVOID RAISING EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH. YOU MAY WISH TO TAKE THE LINE THAT IN CONSIDERING OUR RESPONSE TO THE OFFER WE ARE NATURALLY EXAMINING CAREFULLY THE POSSIBLE AGENDA AND MODALITIES OF ANY TALKS: INITIAL TALKS ARE LIKELY TO
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