TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 203

833

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 21090OZ FCO

TELNO 3554

CONFIDENTIAL

нко 24318

OF 21083OZ SEPTEMBER 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI

om

TOP COPY Q DIST 7

116610

MDHIAN 4602

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. SECOND ROUND OF TALKS WITH

THE VIETNAMESE.

1. THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PRESS SPECULATION ABOUT THE TIMING

OF THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH THE VIETNAMESE. OUR CONCERN ABOUT

SUCH SPECULATION IS THE EFFECT IT HAS ON THE DETENTION CENTRES. YOU

WILL RECALL THAT THE FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WAS THE TRIGGER FOR THE

JULY DISTURBANCES AT HEI LING CHAU. WE THEREFORE THINK IT WOULD

BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A CAREFULLY PLANNED ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DATE AND

VENUE FOR THE SECOND ROUND SO THAT WE CAN GIVE PRIOR NOTICE TO THE

MANAGEMENT STAFF AT THE CENTRES.

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2. AN OPPORTUNITY WILL ARISE ON 22 SEPTEMBER TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT

WHEN THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL MAKE A SPEECH ON THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE. THE DRAFT SPEECH INCLUDES A

STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT THE SECOND ROUND WILL TAKE PLACE IN

LONDON IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 10 OCTOBER.

3. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOU AUTHORITY FOR THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO

MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON 22 SEPTEMBER. IF YOU AGREE, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION DESKBY 22010OZ. WE HAVE GIVEN ADVANCE

WARNING TO THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED AND, IF YOU ARE CONTENT WITH THIS APPROACH, WE WILL INSTRUCT THEM TO INCREASE THEIR STATE OF ALERT A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

WILSON

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