TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 300

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INFO PRIORITY HANOI, UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, WASHINGTON, BANGKOK INFO PRIORITY KUALA LUMPUR

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YOUR TELNOS 3548-9: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: SECOND ROUND OF TALKS

WITH THE VIETNAMESE

1. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR TURS AND FOR THE HELPFUL ADVICE ON THE

WAY FORWARD. THERE IS MUCH WITH WHICH WE AGREE. WE OFFER BELOW SOME THOUGHTS OF OUR OWN. MIFT CONTAINS SOME MORE DETAILED

COMMENTS ON THE QUESTION OF REINTEGRATION ASSISTANCE. THESE ARE

ALL VIEWS AT OFFICIAL LEVEL. WE HAVE NOT YET CONSULTED

MINISTERS.

2.

WE ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE APPROACH TO THE TALKS

OUTLINED IN FIRST TUR. WHILE THE RETURN OF ALL NON-REFUGEES REMAINS OUR OVERALL OBJECTION, WE SHOULD FOCUS OUR CURRENT EFFORTS ON EARLY PROGRESS ON VOLUNTARY RETURNS. WE HAVE COME TO

THIS CONCLUSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

(A) VOLUNTEERS HAVE NOW (NOW) COME FORWARD IN SIGNIFICANT

NUMBERS: 16 PRE 16 JUNE CASES AND 178 POST 16 JUNE CASES:

(B) ALTHOUGH WE JUDGE THAT THE VIETNAMESE RELUCTANCE TO

ACCEPT THE RETURN OF ALL (ALL) NON-REFUGEES IS PARTLY TACTICAL, THEY ARE PROBABLY GENUINELY CONCERNED ABOUT BAD PUBLICITY FOR

THEM IN THE EVENT THAT ENFORCED REPATRIATION TAKES PLACE, A WELL AS THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES OF REINTEGRATING SUCH LARGE NUMBERS

OF PEOPLE INTO THE COMMUNITY:

(C) OTHERS (INCLUDING UNHCR, THE US SOME EC "COUNTRIES AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES) CURRENTLY HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT ENFORCED REPATRIATION:

(D) VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION IS ONE AREA IN WHICH WE CAN

REASONABLY HOPE TO MAKE RELATIVELY QUICK PROGRESS. AND ONCE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, WE MAY BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME FORWARD IN LARGER NUMBERS:

(E) IT MAY BE EASIER TO ENCOURAGE LESS WILLING RETURNEES TO

VOLUNTEER IF THEY CAN SEE A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMME OF VOLUNTARY

REPATRIATION:

(F) A PHASED APPROACH, ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TIME TO DECIDE

FOR THEMSELVES THAT VOLUNTARY RETURN TO VIETNAM IS THE BEST OPTION AVAILABLE, SHOULD ALSO ASSIST IN REDUCING INTERNATIONAL

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