TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 200

I

DSR 11 (Revised Sept 85)

DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

FLO Glenarthur

TYPE: Draft/Final 1 +

Reference

AIDAFZ

DEPARTMENT:

BUILDING:

TEL. NO

Your Reference

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SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

TO:

Sir Philip Goodhart MP

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

House of Commons, LONDON

SW1

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SUBJECT:

PRIVACY MARKING

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CAVEAT

In Confidence

Enclosures flag(s)...

Geoffrey Howe recently undertook to let you have

details of action being taken in international fora,

and bilaterally with the Vietnamese authorities, to

resolve the problem of the Vietnamese boat people.

writing in Geoffrey's absence on leave.

I am

Perhaps the most significant developments are taking

place bilaterally with the Vietnamese authorities. As

you may know, Geoffrey Howe raised the subject with his

Vietnamese opposite number in New York on 7 June and

spoke forcefully about the need to resolve the problem.

Last month the Vietnamese authorities indicated that they

were willing to hold talks with UNHCR and the countries

of first asylum including Hong Kong about the matter. A

meeting with UNHCR duly took place on 20-22 July; and on

3-5 August a delegation from Hong Kong led by the

Political Adviser to the Governor, Mr Dick Clift, will

have talks in Hanoi at Vice-Ministerial level. The Head

of the South East Asia Department in the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office, Mr David Colvin, will also be

participating.