TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 169

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 04040OZ HANOI

TELNO 174

OF 031947Z AUGUST 88

CONFIDENTIAL

AND TO DESKBY 04010OZ HONG KONG

HKD 243/8

RECEIVER

FOLLOWING FROM GILLMORE FOR DELEGATION

REGISTRY - 4 AUG 1988

FICER

PA

ONS.

HY

Taken

133301

MDHOAN. 1775

TOR/COPY a DIST ?

YOUR TELNO 280: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: TALKS IN HANOI

1. YOUR TEL UNDER REF RECEIVED ONLY AT 1945 LOCAL. I HAVE

NOT (NOT) THEREFORE BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT MINISTERS OR OTHERS

HERE.

2. I CAN SEE THE ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF A COMMUNIQUE ON THE

LINES YOU SUGGEST. BUT WE HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND MINISTERS'

INJUNCTION THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY CHARY OF GETTING OUR

FINGERS NEAR THE MANGLE OF AID. I WOULD THEREFORE PREFER

TO SEE ANY REFERENCE TO QUOTE REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE

UNQUOTE ATTRIBUTED TO THE VIETNAMESE SIDE. TO DO MORE

MIGHT RISK ENGENDERING EXPECTATIONS WHICH IN THE END WE MIGHT

NOT BE ABLE TO MEET.

3. I WOULD THEREFORE HOPE THAT YOU COULD PERSUADE THE VIETNAMESE TO ACCEPT PARAGRAPH 2 ON THE PRINCIPLE OF

REPATRIATION AS NOW DRAFTED AND TO AGREE TO PARAGRAPH 3 ON THE FOLLOWING LINES: QUOTE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS UNDER

WHICH REPATRIATION MIGHT TAKE PLACE WERE CONSIDERED. THE VIETNAMESE SIDE RAISED THE QUESTION OF REINTEGRATION

ASSISTANCE. BOTH SIDES AGREED FURTHER TO CONSIDER THESE

ISSUES URGENTLY, WITH A VIEW TO ANOTHER MEETING SOON AT WHICH PRACTICAL DECISIONS COULD BE TAKEN. UNQUOTE.

4. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE ABOVE VERSION OMITS REFERENCE

TO THE BRITISH SIDE CONSULTING OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND THE

UNHCR: I DO NOT THINK THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE

COMMUNIQUE.

5. YOU WILL BE THE BEST JUDGE OF TACTICS. SEEN FROM HERE

YOU MIGHT WISH TO START BY PROPOSING THE DRAFT OF

PARAGRAPH 2 ABOVE WITHOUT THE SECOND SENTENCE, AND ONLY TO CONCEDE ITS INCLUSION AT VIETNAMESE INSISTENCE.

6. FINALLY, IF THE VIETNAMESE ARE ADAMANT IN SEEKING THE KIND OF QUID PRO QUO YOU SUGGEST I AGREE THAT YOU CAN GO AHEAD AS YOU PROPOSE, THOUGH I SEE NO NEED TO SAY BALDLY THAT NO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED. THE UNDERTAKING TO MEET AGAIN

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