TNAG-1794-FCO40-2554-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 186

M

CUNFIDENTIA

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2503

OF 29103OZ JUNE 88

CONFIDENTIAL

M7 Mrforman

War To SEAD think?

I've should

give

rince

on where further

achôn is now

мурал

I wonder whelter

Neised

W

¡

shall be on

005641

MDLIAN 8833

I (or Mr Melavin

leave from tomorrow) Shovels

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, WASHINGTON, HANOI call ite Victronca Amb in ajan.

to say that we have

that we have litte evidence that the Vecturemer awitanties have taken actin so we

asked. HOPPING TO SOUTH

PEKING TELNO 1133: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: COAST

CHINA

-

I AM GRATEFUL TO LORD GLENARTHUR FOR RAISING WITH THE CHINESE THE

PROBLEM OF THE VIETNAMESE COAST HOPPERS. QIAN QICHEN'S RESPONSE

SHOWS THAT THERE IS A WILLINGNESS TO BE HELPFUL IN PEKING. WE NEED

TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS TRANSLATED INTO ACTION IN THE PROVINCES

AND THAT THE MESSAGE REALLY GETS THROUGH.

2. SO FAR THE GREAT MAJORITY OF ARRIVALS SINCE 16 JUNE HAVE TENDERED

TO REACT WITH INDIFFERENCE ON BEING TOLD OF THE NEW DETENTION POLICY.

WE ARE OF COURSE ONLY NOW REACHING THE POINT AT WHICH VOYAGES WOULD

HAVE STARTED AFTER 16 JUNE. NEVERTHELESS WE MIGHT BY NOW HAVE

EXPECTED THAT SOME BOAT ARRIVALS WOULD HAVE HEARD OF THE CHANGED

POLICY AT SOME POINT ON THE CHINA COAST. SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO

INDICATION OF THIS.

3. TWO BOATLOADS WHICH ARRIVED OVER THE WEEKEND OF 25/26 JUNE AND

WHICH HAD STOPPED IN CHINA FREQUENTLY EN ROUTE DID, HOWEVER MAKE REPORTS WHICH MIGHT INDICATE A MARGINAL SHIFT IN POLICY:

(I) THE CHINESE OFFICIALS DID NOT PROVIDE THEM WITH ANY REPLENISHME-

NTS, AND THEY HAD TO BUY THEIR FOOD AND FUEL WITH THEIR OWN MEANS:

(II) IN ARRANGING FOR ADDITIONAL VIETNAMESE BOATPEOPLE WHOSE BOATS

HAD BEEN WRECKED TO BOARD THE ARRIVING VESSELS, THE CHINESE OFFICIALS WERE LESS ACTIVE AND DID NOT ORDER THE BOAT-MASTER TO TAKE

THEM ON, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE ON THE PAST. INSTEAD, THEY OFTEN ARRANGED FOR THE EMBARKATION ONLY OF THOSE WHO HAD OBTAINED THE

CONSENT OF THE BOAT-MASTER OR HAD PAID THE BOAT-MASTER FOR THEIR

JOURNEY. HOWEVER THESE SMALL STRAWS IN THE WIND DO NOT AMOUNT TO

MUCH. WE STILL HAVE NO DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT PEKING HAVE SENT NEW

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PROVINCES.

4. IF YOU AGREE, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THE EMBASSY IN PEKING COULD MAKE ANOTHER APPROACH TO THE MFA ON THE FOLLOWING LINES.

1

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CONFIDENTIAL