CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 748
OF 152023Z DECEMBER
CONFIDENTIAL
нко 2+3/12
TOP COPY
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, HANOI
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073210 MDHIAN 5961
YOUR TELNO 293: ODP TALKS: BILATERAL MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION
SUMMARY
1. SUCCESSFUL BILATERAL MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION. AGREEMENT ON NEED FOR EARLY REPATRIATION OF FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS FROM HONG KONG AND PHASED RETURN THEREAFTER AS WELL AS FUNDING OF UNHCR'S REPATRIATION/REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE PACKAGE. VIETNAM WAS MAINTAINING ACTION TO STEM OUTFLOW AND INCREASING ITS PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN AGAINST CLANDESTINE DEPARTURES.
DETAIL
2. COLVIN (SEAD) ACCOMPANIED BY HEWITT HAD BILATERAL MEETING ON DECEMBER WITH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION TO ODP TALKS IN GENEVA, LED BY ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER, VU KHOAN. TEXT OF UK SPEAKING NOTE BY FAX TO SEAD AND HONG KONG.
3. COLVIN WELCOMED CONTINUING DIALOGUE WITH VIETNAM SINCE DISCUSSIONS IN HANOI IN AUGUST AND LONDON IN OCTOBER. THE NEXT STEP WAS IMMEDIATE START ON PHASED RETURN OF VOLUNTEERS TO VIETNAM, IF POSSIBLE BEFORE END OF YEAR. THEREAFTER WE HAD TO PROCEED WITH THE ''COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS'' FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT-PEOPLE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG AFTER 15 JUNE WHO DID NOT MEET REFUGEE CRITERIA. WE WELCOMED SIGNATURE OF UNHCR/VIETNAM MOU IN GENEVA ON 13 DECEMBER. THIS PAVED WAY FOR AGREEMENT ON BRITISH/VIETNAM MOU ON REPATRIATION OF VBPS FROM HONG KONG. COLVIN HOPED THAT REVISED DRAFT TEXT HANDED OVER IN HANOI ON 7 DECEMBER COULD BE CONCLUDED SOON. HE URGED VU KHOAN TO GIVE IT HIS UREGENT ATTENTION ON RETURN TO HANOI.
4. VU KHOAN AGREED THAT EARLY START SHOULD BE MADE TO VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION. NOW THAT MOU HAD BEEN SIGNED WITH UNHCR, HE SAW NO PROBLEM WITH COMPLETION OF UK/VIETNAM MOU WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF HIS RETURN. HE LOOKED FORWARD TO PROMPT AGREEMENT ON REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME. ONCE IN PLACE, ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE MADE
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