TNAG-1798-FCO40-2558-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 97

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHIAN

HANOI IS UNNECESSARY AND RECOMMEND THAT THIS CLAUSE BE AMENDED TO READ QUOTE THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES WILL PASS TO THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES VIA THE UNHCR LISTS OF VIETNAMESE IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE EXPRESSED A WISH TO RETURN TO VIETNAM TOGETHER WITH UNQUOTE.

(D) PARAGRAPH 3A. WE ARE NOT CLEAR ABOUT THE INTENDED FREQUENCY OF SUCH VISITS. IF THE PROPOSED TEXT CAN BE TAKEN TO MEAN THAT THE VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS WILL USE THE VISIT TO COVER ALL THOSE WHO CURRENTLY WISH TO RETURN, THEN WE ARE CONTENT. WE SHALL NEED TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF FUTURE VISITS SEPARATELY.

(E) PARAGRAPH 3B. WE AGREE WITH HANOI'S SUGGESTION BUT WE THINK THE DELETION SHOULD BE THE WORDS QUOTE WILL ARRANGE FOOD AND

ACCOMMODATION UNQUOTE.

(F) PARAGRAPH 3C. WE SUGGEST THAT THIS CLAUSE BE AMENDED TO READ QUOTE THE TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION COSTS OF THE VIETNAMESE

OFFICIALS WILL BE MET FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS PORTION OF THE

UNHCR ASSISTANCE PACKAGE UNQUOTE.

(G) PARAGRAPH 3D. THIS SECTION NEEDS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT

TIMING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER DELAYS IF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES INTEND TO VISIT HONG KONG AND THEN RETURN TO VIETNAME BEFORE ISSUING THE FINAL LISTS AND ENTRY PERMITS. WE

SHOULD PREFER THESE DOCUMENTS TO BE ISSUED DURING THEIR STAY IN HONG KONG.

(H) PARAGRAPH 3E. THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHARTERING AIRCRAFT AND

OBTAINING PASSAGES AND DETAILS OF AIRCRAFT FLIGHTS ARE A MATTER

FOR UNHCR. WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT THIS POINT IS MADE CLEAR IN THE

TEXT. OTHERWISE WE AGREE THAT THE FORMALITIES OF THE FLIGHTS, AIRPORT CLEARANCES AND ROUTING ARRANGEMENTS ARE A MATTER FOR THE

BRITISH SIDE.

(I) PARAGRAPH 4A. WE AGREE WITH HANOI'S SUGGESTED AMENDMENT.

(J) PARAGRAPH 4B. WE WOULD PREFER TO DELETE THE WORD QUOTE PROJECT

UNQUOTE AND TO REPLACE IT WITH QUOTE PACKAGE UNQUOTE. AGAIN, WE THINK THE TEXT SHOULD REFER TO QUOTE UK AND HONG KONG CONTRIBUTIONS

TO A UNHCR PACKAGE UNQUOTE.

5. WE ASSUME YOU WILL CONSULT MINISTERS BEFORE A FINAL TEXT IS

SIGNED. FOR OUR PART WE WILL NEED TO CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE PROPOSE TO DO THIS AS SOON AS HANOI HAS