TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 121

CONFIDENTIAL

+78

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HANOI

TELNO 161

OF 08110OZ JULY 88

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKD 243/8

RECEIV

INI.

1 1 JUL 1988

NEFICER

036643

MDHOAN 0043

COPY

DICT ?

AND TO PRIORITY BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, MANILA INFO ROUTINE JAKARTA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA INFO ROUTINE OIIAWA, TOKYO, UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING

1449

$3

(461

YOUR TELNOS 244 AND 250 AND HONG KONG TELNO 2595 : VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG : VIETNAMESE REQUEST FOR TALKS

1.

MINISTERS AGREE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE UP THE VIETNAMESE OFFER OF TALKS ON THE RETURN OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG. THEY NOTE HOWEVER THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL NO DOUBT BE PURSUING OBJECTIVES WHICH ARE VERY DISTINCT FROM OUR OWN. QUITE APART FROM THE POLITICAL DIVIDENDS THAT THEY MAY BE SEEKING TO SECURE FROM A SHOW OF FLEXIBILITY, THE VIETNAMESE HAAVE ALREADY MADE THE EXPECTED LINK WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THEY HAVE APPARENTLY ALSO TOLD UNHCR THAT RETURNS MUST BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. FOR ALL THESE REASONS (WHILE MINISTERS WOULD NOT RULE OUT SOME MODEST AID THROUGH UNHCR) THE TALKS MUST BE APPROACHED IN AN EXPLORATORY MODE AND WITHOUT AROUSING UNDUE EXPECTATIONS.

2. SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER COMMENTS HONG KONG MAY HAVE, PLEASE NOW REVERT TO THE VIETNAMESE AND SPEAK ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:

(A) WE WELCOME THE PROPOSAL FOR TALKS ON THE RETURN TO VIETNAM OF NON-REFUGEE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG:

(B) WE SUGGEST THAT THE TALKS TAKE PLACE IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 18 JULY:

(C) OUR SIDE WILL BE LED BY MR R D CLIFT, AN ASSISTANT UNDER SECRETARY IN THE FCO WHO IS CURRENTLY SECONDED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AS POLITICAL ADVISER. HE WILL BE SUPPORTED BY MR COLVIN, HEAD OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIA DEPARTMENT IN THE FCO, AND A SENIOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL (SEE PARAGRAPH 3 BELOW): (D) WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN EARLY RESPONSE TO ENABLE TRAVEL AND VISA ARRANGEMENTS TO BE PUT IN HAND.

FOR HONG KONG

3.

WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE YOU ATTACH TO FIELDING A STRONG

BUT WE CONTINUE TO FEEL THAT IF THE TEAM WERE LED BY

TEAM.

1

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CONFIDENTIAL