TNAG-1803-FCO40-2563-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-talks-between-the-UK--Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 50

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INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, PEKING, HANOI, BANGKOK

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YOUR TELNO 2711: VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: TALKS WITH VIETNAMESE

WE BRIEFED EXCO THIS MORNING ON THE LONDON TALKS. THEY SAW NO

OBJECTION TO A VISIT TO HONG KONG BY VIETNAMESE QUOTE TECHNICAL

PERSONNEL UNQUOTE UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES.

2. WE THINK IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR UKMIS GENEVA TO APPROACH UNHCR EXPLAINING THAT A VISIT UNDER UNHCR AUSPICES WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO THE NATURE OF WHAT HAD TO BE DONE (IE. THE MAKING OF DETAILED ARRANG- EMENTS IN CONJUNTION WITH UNHCR) AND DESIRABLE IN VIEW OF POSSIBLE CHINESE SENSITIVITIES ON ANY VIETNAMESE PRESENCE.

3. WE WOULD HOPE TO PROCEED FIRST ON THE BASIS OF UNHCR AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE TO THE VISIT ON THE LINESE PROPOSED TO BE FOLLOWED UP

(AS IN OUR TELNO 3854) BY AN INVITATION GIVEN TO THE VIETNAMESE THROUGH UNHCR AT BANGKOK NEXT WEEK.

4.

PA BRIEFED JI SHAOXIANG OF NCNA ON LINES OF YOUR TELNO 469 TO BANGKOK ON 18 OCTOBER. HE DID NOT (NOT) MENTION THE POSSIBILITY

OF A VIETNAMESE VISIT. WE JUDGED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FIRST TO

SORT OUT WITH UNHCR THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE AN UMBRELLA FOR SUCH A VISIT, SO THAT WE COULD INFORM THE CHINESE IN THE MOST REASSURING WAY.

5. PA ALSO MENTIONED COAST-HOPPING. HE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION OF CHINESE EFFORTS TO STOP THIS BUT DREW ATTENTION TO ARRIVAL ON 11 OCTOBER OF TWO BOATS, BOTH OF WHICH HAD BEEN ASSISTED DURING STOPOVERS IN CHINA. IN ONE CASE A BOAT WITH 19 PERSONS HAD BEEN REPLENISHED THREE TIMES FREE OF CHARGE. IN THE OTHER GROUP OF THREE TRAVELLED BY LAND FROM VIETNAM TO CHINA PICKED UP TWO OTHER ECVIIS

AND EVENTUALLY WERE ABLE TO BUY A CHINESE JUNK AND GO ON DIRECTLY TO

HONG KONG.

FORD

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