CONFIDENTIAL
X
126234 MDHIAN 4984
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HANOI
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 238
OF 23055OZ SEPTEMBER 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
Contiume
YOUR TELNO 218: BOAT PEOPLE:
リ
to 5.3
will my som
3, 1-
wal Abay cause it was us
HKD 243/15
OMAL
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 TO YOU. APART FROM ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION THE COST TO HMG OF MEETING AGAIN IN HANOI WOULD EXCEED 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
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