TNAG-1796-FCO40-2556-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 40

CONFIDENTIAL

765

HKD 24318

052026 MDHOAN 3854

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR TELNO 406

SEP 1988

OF 07181OZ SEPTEMBER 88

INDE

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

VISIT BY MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: TALKS WITH THE SECRETARY OF

STATE

1. SUMMARY. DATO ABU HASSAN OMAR CALLED ON THE SECRETARY OF

STATE ON 6 SEPTEMBER. THE MALAYSIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER, HIS DEPUTY, AND GILLMORE (DUSS) WERE ALSO PRESENT. THREE MAIN SUBJECTS CAME UP: INDOCHINESE REFUGEES, CAMBODIA, AND DATES FOR THE CHOGM.

2. DETAIL. ON REFUGEES THE SECRETARY OF STATE ASKED ABOUT THE

RECENT VISIT TO HANOI OF THE MALAYSIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER.

ABU HASSAN SAID THAT HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME. VIETNAM

HAD BEEN TOLD THAT NO REFUGEES WOULD BE ACCEPTED AFTER A CERTAIN DATE (TO BE FIXED LATER). NEW ARRIVALS WOULD HENCEFORTH BE DEALT

WITH IN FULL CONFORMITY WITH MALAYSIAN IMMIGRATION LAWS AND

INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE VIETNAMESE HAD ACCEPTED THIS.

REPATRIATION HAD ALSO BEEN DISCUSSED. MALAYSIA WOULD DO ITS BEST

TO RESETTLE REFUGEES IN THIRD COUNTRIES. ALL OTHERS WOULD BE

REPATRIATED THOUGH THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.

(ABU HASSAN CONFIRMED THAT A HIGH-LEVEL VIETNAMESE TEAM WOULD

VISIT MALAYSIA IN NOVEMBER TO TRY TO PERSUADE POTENTIAL

RETURNEES). VIETNAM HAD ALSO MADE IT CLEAR DURING THE VISIT THAT IT WOULD ATTEND AND QUOTE PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY UNQUOTE (CO THACH)

IN BOTH THE FORTHCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND THE

PREPARATORY MEETING OF OFFICIALS IN KUALA LUMPUR IN NOVEMBER.

ABU HASSAN ASKED WHETHER THE UK WOULD BE REPRESENTED. THE

SECRETARY OF STATE CONFIRMED THAT WE WOULD ATTEND BOTH MEETINGS,

ALTHOUGH THE LEVEL AT WHICH WE WOULD DO SO HAD STILL TO BE

DECIDED. WE WERE MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF THE

TALKS.

3

ABU HASSAN ASKED ABOUT THE HONG KONG EXPERIENCE. GILLMORE

SAID THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAD TAKEN A SIMILAR LINE WITH US. THE

VIETNAMESE HAD SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEND A MISSION TO HONG KONG TO0. THIS WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION. TALKS WERE PLANNED FOR

THE SECOND WEEK IN OCTOBER AT WHICH ONE OF THE SUBJECTS FOR

DISCUSSION WOULD BE POSSIBLE FINANCIAL HELP TO A UNHCR PROGRAMME FOR REPATRIATION. ABU HASSAN CONFIRMED THE MALAYSIANS WERE PREPARED TO OFFER RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE. WE SHOULD STAY IN

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