TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 284

CONFIDENTIAL

[HKD 243/15-

нко

1.

2 & SEP 988

14

142561

MDHIAN 5542

CONFIDENTIAL FM HANOI

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 338

OF 230550Z SEPTEMBER 88

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TOP COPY

DIOT 7

CORRECTED VERSION : ORIGINAL WRONGLY NUMBERED 238

YOUR TELNO 218: BOAT PEOPLE: BILATERAL TALKS

1 I QUITE UNDERSTAND YOUR EMBARRASSMENT BUT SEE

·

NO CHANCE THAT THE VIETNAMESE WILL NOT SEEK RECIPROCAL HOSPITALITY IN LONDON. BAZOCHE, UNHCR LOCAL REPRESENTIATIVE, (WHO RETURNED FROM LEAVE ONLY ON 21 SEPTEMBER) CALLED ON ME YESTERDAY AND REVEALED THAT MR TIN HAD ALREADY RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE COST OF THE TRIP TO LONDON WITH HIM. IT SEEMS TO ME QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THE VIETNAMESE MAY CLAIM (PROBABLY GENUINELY) THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE TRIP: THIS MAY LEAD THEM TO SUGGEST POSTPONEMENT OR CHANGE OF VENUE TO HANOI. I ASSUME THAT NEITHER OF THESE OPTIONS WOULD APPEAL TAG SOU. APART FROM ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION THE COST TO HMG OF MEETING AGAIN IN HANOI WOULD EDCEED THE COST OF BOARD AND LODGING IN LONDON FOR FIVE VIETNAMESE FOR (?) THREE NIGHTS.

I MUST RECOMMEND THAT WE BITE THIS DISTASTEFULL BULLET WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.

2. IT SEEMS EMINENTLY LIKELY THAT WE SHALL NOT KNOW UNTIL

THE LAST MINUTE WHICH VIETNAMESE WILL BE TRAVELLING. I PROPOSE TO ISSUE VISAS, INFORMING YOU BY TELEGRAM IMMEDIATELY I HAVE DONE SO.

3.

YOU WILL APPRECIATE FROM PARAGRAPH ONE ABOVE THAT THE VIETNAMESE HAVE NOT SOUGHT TO KEEP THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS UNDER WRAPS.

I EMPHASISED TO BAZOCHE THAT WE DO NOT WISH TO PUBLICISE THEM JUST YET.

DAVIES

YYYY

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL