TNAG-1797-FCO40-2557-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 321

CONFIDENTIAL

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13 SEP 1982

787

063547

MDHIAN 3140

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 121300Z FCO

TELNO 3418

OF 121125Z SEPTEMBER 88

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INFO IMMEDIATE HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE INFO IMMEDIATE MANILA, WASHINGTON, JAKARTA, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN INFO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA, CANBERRA, KAMPALA

KAMPALA FOR PS/FOREIGN SECRETARY

780,

BANGKOK TELNO 622: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: RUN-UP TO INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCE: HONG KONG PARTICIPATION

IT WAS HELPFUL TO HAVE THIS SUMMARY OF THE POSITION ON PLANS FOR

PREPARATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

2.

WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG PARTICIPATION

IN THIS PROCESS. WE ARE ASSUMING THAT YOU WILL WISH TO BE INVOLVED.

IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE CONFIRMATION OF THIS AND TO KNOW THE

LATEST STATE OF OFFICIAL AND MINISTERIAL THINKING. IN PARTICULAR WE

SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER IT IS INTENDED TO ACCEPT THE

INVITATION FOR UK TO ATTEND AS OBSERVERS AT THE WORKING GROUP

MEETING IN BANGKOK ON 16/17 SEPTEMBER (PARA 3 OF TUR).

3. ONE ADDITIONAL POINT IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TODAY (12 SEPTEMBER) BY QUINONES (DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS OF THE EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC BUREAU OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT) THAT

AMERICAN THINKING HAS FIRMED UP ON SUPPORT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. HE TOLD THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THAT THEY

NOW SEE ADVANTAGE IN PROMOTING THE IDEA PROVIDED THAT PROGRESS

TOWARDS IT IS CAREFULLY GUIDED.

4. FROM THE HONG KONG POINT OF VIEW THE ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPATION

IN THE SERIES OF MEETINGS UP TO AND INCLUDING AN INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCE WOULD BE:

A)

THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AND TO INFLUENCE

THINKING ON MOVES TOWARDS REPATRIATION OF BOAT PEOPLE, INCLUDING IN PARTICULAR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTILATERAL

SYSTEM OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE. IF REPATRIATION BECOMES

THE POLICY ADOPTED THROUGHOUT S.E. ASIA, THAT WILL LESSON OUR OWN EXPOSURE ON A PROCEDURE WHICH IS BOUND TO ATTRACT A GREAT

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