CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 3325
OF 301835Z DECEMBER 88
ons
INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA
HANOI TELNO 482: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: UK/VIETNAM
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
1.
WE TAKE HANOI'S POINT THAT THE BEST SHOULD NOT BE THE ENEMY
OF THE GOOD IN THIS CONTEXT AND ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO MAKE EARLY PROGRESS TOWARDS AGREEING A TEXT SO THAT REPATRIATION CAN BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT AS INDICATED IN OUR TELNO 301 TO HANOI (PARA 2) THERE ARE POINTS OF SUBSTANCE TO BE
CLEARED UP BEFORE WE CAN RECOMMEND TO MINISTERS THAT SIGNATURE
BE AUTHORISED.
2. IN THE TIME AVAILABLE TODAY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONSIDER THE DRAFT IN HANOI TUR FULLY OR IN DETAIL. BUT OUR
INITIAL REACTION IS THAT PARAGRAPH 3 DOES NOT YET GO QUITE FAR ENOUGH TO MEET OUR CONCERNS (OR YOURS AND THOSE OF UNHCR). WE SHOULD LIKE TO SEE POINT 3 (A) TIGHTENED UP AND IDEALLY IMPROVEMENTS TO 3 (C), ALTHOUGH WE RECOGNISE THAT IT MAY WELL
BE UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT TO CLAW ANYTHING BACK ON THE LATTER POINT
AT THIS LATE STAGE.
3. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EARLY VIEWS AND THOSE OF UKMIS GENEVA: WE ARE AIMING TO SUBMIT ON THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE NEW YEAR.
HOWE
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MAIN
91
DISTRIBUTION
96
.VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK.
LIMITED
HKD
SEAD
UND
NEWS
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR PATTEN ODA
PS MR EGGAR
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CONFIDENTIAL
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