TNAG-1795-FCO40-2555-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 85

HKD 243/8

RECEIV

1 1 AUG 1988

643

OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL

IND.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2069

OF 101815Z AUGUST 88

AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HANOI

INFO ROUTINE BANGKOK,

PEKING

153203

MDHOAN 2170

TOP COPY Q DIST 7

635

YOUR TELNO 2984: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: TALKS IN

HANOI

AND

WE WISH TO 1. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE ASSESSMENT IN YOUR TUR. GIVE VERY CAREFUL THOUGHT TO THE WAY FORWARD IN CONSULTATION WITH

WE COLVIN (WHO, AS YOU KNOW, HAS NOT YET RETURNED TO LONDON). HAVE ARRANGED AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL MEETING FOR 12 AUGUST, WILL AIM TO TELEGRAPH TO YOU ON 15 AUGUST WITH OUR PRELIMINARY REACTIONS IN TIME FOR THE EXCO DISCUSSION ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. 2. WE NOTE YOUR REQUEST THAT WE SHOULD SEEK CONTINGENT AUTHORITY FROM MINISTERS FOR THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE VIA UNHCR. WE RECOGNISE THAT THIS ASPECT MUST BE COVERED IN OUR

BUT YOU WILL FUTURE STRATEGY FOR THE TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. UNDERSTAND THAT SUCH A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM OUR PRESENT POLICY ON AID TO VIETNAM WILL NEED COLLECTIVE MINISTERIAL CONSIDERATION, AND THAT THIS WILL NOT (NOT) BE FEASIBLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AT A TIME WHEN KEY MINISTERS ARE ON HOLIDAY. COULD AFFECT THE TIMING OF A FURTHER ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS THE VIETNAMESE.

/

THIS

WITH

3.

WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED YOUR TELNOS 2990-2 (NOT TO ALL). SEE MY TWO IFTS (ALSO NOT TO ALL).

PLEASE

- CHALKER

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

119

ΜΑΙΝ

116

.VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HK

SPD

LIMITED

FED

HKD

NEWS

SEAD

PS

UND

PAGE

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

1

CONFIDENTIAL