TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 290

CONFIDENTIAL

136771

MDHIAN 5388

CASES AND THAT NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN

UNTIL THEY RECEIVED

THE DETAILS OF ALL THE NEARLY TWO HUNDRED CURRENT VOLUNTEERS.

HEAD OF CHANCERY EXPLAINED THE ROLE OF THE UNHCR IN PREPARING

AND PASSING ON THE PAPER WORK AND POINTED OUT THEIR STAFFING PROBLEMS

HE SUGGESTED THAT THE VIETNAMESE SHOULD RAISE THIS DURING DE MELLO'S

VISIT.

COMMENT

5. IT IS OF COURSE NOT THE CASE (PARA 2 ABOVE) THAT TINE MADE ACCEPTANCE OF THE DATES DEPENDENT ON SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENTS

FOR COSTS ALTHOUGH THE SUBJECTS WERE RAISED IN THE SAME

· CONVERSATION.

1 !

(PARA 3 ABOVE)

6. MY READING OF THE POINT ABOUT "VOLUNTARISM

IS THAT THE VIETNAMESE ARE ATTEMPTING TO FUDGE THE ISSUE IN ORDER TO ALLOW TEHMSELVES ROOM TO GET OFF THE HOOK OF VOLUNTEERS

ONLY''.

7. THE DECISION TO TAKE NO ACTION ON THE LIST OF VOLUNTEERS

ALREADY SUPPLIED IS DISAPPOINTING. WHEN WE NEXT HAVE CONTACT ON THIS ISSUE, WE SHALL URGE THE VIETNAMESE TO REGARD THIS BATCH AS A USEFUL TRIAL RUN FOR THE MECHANISMS AT BOTH ENDS.

DAVIES

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

107

DISTRIBUTION

111

VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HK

LIMITED

HKD

SEAD

UND

LEGAL ADVISERS

PUSD

ECD (I)

ECD (E)

SPD

FED

NEWS

PS

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS MR EGGAR

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR SLATER

MR MCLAREN

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CONFIDENTIAL