TNAG-1796-FCO40-2556-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 257

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Mr

RESTRICTED

FM KUALA LUMPUR

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER

NFR

OF 18080OZ AUGUST 88

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Mr Hum

1) cc. Mr footman, HKD

2) Mr Cowin für fi

FROM SARAH O'CONNELL, KUALA LUMPUR

TO JOHN DENNIS, SEAD, F CO

"Yes. At."78

COPIED TO CHANCERY, HONG KONG, AND BANGKOK

+PA

175510

MDTTAN 9327

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1918

Hup 243/8 1/8

RECEIVEN iki demi

23 AUG 198

ΙΝ ΗΑΝΟΙ

638

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: TALKS

HV.

N

S

1

BRIEFED AHMAD FADZAH (PLANNING DEPARTMENT MFA) ON 16 AUGUST

ALONG THE LINES INDICATED IN FCO TELNO 2070 AND HONG KONG TELNO 2990. AS MALAYSIA'S MISSIONS IN HANOI, BANGKOK AND LONDON HAD ALREADY REPORTED ON THE BASIS OF SIMILAR BRIEFINGS, WHAT I HAD

TO SAY WAS NOT NEW.

2.

'644)

HIS MAIN INTEREST CENTRED ON THE VIETNAMESE REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE MALAYSIANS ARE SENDING A TEAM TO

HANOI LED BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ENCIK GAFAR BABA FROM 24-

29 AUGUST AND THEY EXPECT THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL TAKE A POSITION WITH THEM THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE ALREADY TAKEN WITH US.

THE MALAYSIANS BELIEVE THAT INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WILL BE

NECESSARY TO SOLVE THE REFUGEE PROBLEM AND ANTICIPATE THAT THE

VIETNAMESE WILL DEMAND A PRICE IN THE FORM OF FINANCIAL

ASSISTANCE. THEREFORE THEY ARE INTERESTED TO KNOW THE SORT OF DEMANDS MADE BY THE VIETNAMESE TO US.

3.

I ASKED ABOUT PULAU BIDONG AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT IS STILL

THE INTENTION TO CLOSE THE REFUGEE CAMPS WITHIN A YEAR. THIS

WILL BE DONE BY A COMBINATION OF REPATRIATION AND RESETTLEMENT.

ALL RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES WILL BE APPROACHED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AND ASKED TO TAKE FURTHER REFUGEES. AUSTRALIA, APPARENTLY,

HAS ALREADY INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO HELP.

AND

4. THE MALAYSIAN TALKS LOOK AS IF THEY WILL BE HIGH PROFILE.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING ARTICLES ABOUT THE REFUGEE SITUATION TO ''EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ALOUT THE PROBLEM''

THE PARTY WILL ALSO INCLUDE JOURNALISTS. GHAFAR BABA AS LEADER

WILL GIVE THE DELEGATION THE RIGHT WEIGHT TO SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY. IT MAY BE THAT THE MALAYSIANS ARE CONSIDERING BUYING THEMSELVES

A QUICK SOLUTION.

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