CONFIDENTIAL
014763
MDLIAN 9523
POLICING AND INTERNAL SECURITY CAMPS. I ACCEPT THAT IT IS UNREALISTIC TO IMAGINE THAT THE UNHCR WILL AGREE TO THIS EASILY, OR INDEED AT ALL: BUT WE WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO LEGCO AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE MADE AN ATTEMPT.
5. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, OUR SUBSTANTIVE AIM IS TO PERSUADE THE UNHCR TO ACCEPT THE FULL COST OF CAMPS FOR THOSE CLASSIFIED AS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, IE ALL THOSE WHO ARRIVED BEFORE 16 JUNE AND ALL THOSE SCREENED-IN UNDER THE NEW POLICY. IT WOULD OF COURSE BE WELCOME IF THEY WOULD ACCEPT PART OF THE COSTS RELATING TO THE ACCOMMODATION OF THOSE SCREENED OUT.
6. WE HAVE FORMALLY PUT THE UNHCR ON NOTICE THAT WE WISH TO DISCUSS FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS WITH THEM. WE AIM TO HOLD AN INITIAL MEETING ON 8 JULY BUT ACCEPT THAT IT MAY PROVE NECESSARY FOR DIRECT TALKS TO BE HELD WITH THE UNHCR IN GENEVA AT SOME STAGE. AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS MIGHT BE EITHER EXCOM IN JULY OR THE FULL ANNUAL EXCOM IN
EARLY OCTOBER.
7. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FIRM LINE THAT YOU TOOK IN THE MEETING WITH BAYANDOR AND BARI ON 29 JUNE (SECOND TUR). THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR NEW POLICY IS ITS DETERRENT EFFECT. CO-OPERATION FROM THE UNHCR, THOUGH CLEARLY DESIRABLE, IS OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE, UNLESS WE WERE TO FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THEIR SUPPORT WAS NECESSARY TO DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. THIS IS NOT THE CASE AT PRESENT. I THEREFORE SEE NO BENEFIT, AND INDEED CONSIDERABLE DANGER, IN MAKING ANY PRESENTATIONAL CONCESSIONS NOW. IT MAY OF COURSE BE NECESSARY TO REACH SOME KIND OF DEAL AT A LATER STAGE IN ORDER TO ENSURE UNHCR ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PROPOSALS ON FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. BUT IT WOULD CLEARLY BE WRONG TO SIGNAL THIS BEFORE WE HAD STARTED OUR NEGOTIATIONS.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
39
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
DISTRIBUTION
41
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/PUS
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
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